About ripe bananas for banana bread
I put mashed bananas in the fridge in a bowl for a couple days and they turned dark brown on the top. Are they still good after that?
Best Answer
Cut or mashed bananas, like many fruit, will turn brown after a very short time, a few minutes should show first discoloration and after a few hours, the surface will be brown. This is primarily a matter of aesthetics, because the fruit looks less appealing.
As far as food safety is concerned, it depends on your definition of “a couple of days”. The rule of thumb for storing whole bananas in the fridge is 2-3 days, but you are dealing with mashed fruit, which means a much larger surface area and some broken cell walls. So one or two days should be ok. But if you notice any signs of spoilage like discoloration apart from the aforementioned browning, visible mold or a strange smell (acidic, boozy, or just “off”), discard them regardless. The general rule is always:
When in doubt, throw it out.
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How ripe bananas should be for banana bread?
The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black. Or they're at least streaked with black/brown, with just the barest hint of green at the stem. And again, the darker the better: there's no such thing as a too-ripe banana when you're making banana bread.Why are ripe bananas used in banana bread?
Insider explains that as a banana ripens, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar. Ultimately, they become sweeter the riper they are, which is why those with brown spots are utilized to add great flavor to baked goods.How do you tell if bananas are too ripe for banana bread?
Sweet Home Digest also notes that bananas that have any kind of liquid or a mushy substance leaking out of them should be discarded. Again, don't think anything of black peels or brown spots, but do look for anything that raises red flags to your eyes and nose.Why are ripe bananas better for baking?
If the bananas are ripe, they're much easier to mash and incorporate into the batter of the cakes, muffins and cupcakes. They're also sweeter, as more of the starch has converted to sugar.Here's How To Tell If A Banana Is Too Ripe For Banana Bread
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Answer 2
No I'd think not. That brown-ing is a sign of rot and the skin is supposed to help prevent this. Now that the bananas have rot outside of their skin I don't feel there's much that can be done at this point. Not only will these mashed bananas taste funny, they may also give you a stomachache or more. Normally I'd say that you could just cut off a portion of the banana that wasn't brown, but that would be with the skin on.
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