10 Ways to Keep Sliced Bananas from Turning Brown

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano Reviewed by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: January 31, 2024 Fact Checked

You’re about to serve a delicious fruit salad when you look down to find your sliced bananas have turned brown. You’ve only just cut them! What happened? Like many fruits, bananas are prone to oxidation. This means that when the flesh of the banana is left out for too long, it’ll turn brown.^{[1]
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Things You Should Know

Cover banana slices in lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, or apple juice to add a sweet flavor and keep them from oxidizing.
Store cut bananas in an air-tight container to reduce the amount of oxygen they touch.
Try sprinkling a fruit preservation powder on the bananas for quick protection.

1

Keep sliced banana fresh with soda water.

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Soda water helps preserve fruit without altering the taste. Like fruit juice, soda water creates a protective barrier between the fruit’s flesh and the air, slowing oxidation. The bonus? It doesn’t change the taste of the bananas! This makes it an ideal hack for picky eaters. Simply sprinkle some of the soda over the bananas or soak them for a couple of minutes before serving.^{[2]
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- Be sure to use soda water or club soda. Tonic water, a very similar beverage, has a strong flavor that doesn't pair well with bananas.

2

Coat the banana slices with mildly flavored oils.

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Coconut, sunflower, and grapeseed oil prevent the enzymatic browning of the slices. Studies have also shown that this process helps preserve essential vitamins and flavor in the fruit, since oil coats the fruit and inhibits the oxidation (or "browning") process.

3

Cover the banana slices in fruit juice.

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The acidity in fruit juice forms a protective layer on sliced bananas. Although the type of juice you use will change the taste of your banana, it will also keep it from turning brown. Try using lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, grapefruit, or apple juices. Buy a 100% juice, fruit concentrate, or squeeze your own and then sprinkle it on top of the slices.^{[3]
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- Lemon juice is the most commonly used juice for this hack and adds a subtle, complementary tang to your fruit.
- If you’re making a fruit salad, consider tossing all the cut fruits in the juice. Pick a juice that brightens the salad, like pineapple or grapefruit.
- Some users of this hack prefer diluting the juice with a 1 to 1 ratio of water, so it doesn’t have such a strong flavor; however, this can weaken the acidity and cause the bananas to brown.

4

Sprinkle citric acid over the slices to preserve freshness.

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Fruit preservation powders use citric acid to keep sliced fruit from oxidizing. These powders are specifically designed to keep your sliced banana from turning brown. Basically, the powder is a dried-up version of the citric acid found in lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges. All you have to do is put your banana slices in a bowl of water and follow the instructions on the back of the packaging, adding the right amount of powder to water ratio. Let them soak for 3 to 5 minutes and drain.^{[4]
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- These powders typically have no taste, but some argue that adding too much could alter the taste of the fruit.

5

Sweeten and keep bananas fresh with honey.

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A honey and water mixture can help prevent sliced bananas from turning brown. The honey technique works similarly to the acidity in fruit; however, it leaves behind a much sweeter taste and stickier texture. Combine 2 tbsp (28 g) with 1 c (128 g) of water, then pour the mixture over the banana slices.^{[5]
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- Try adding cinnamon or brown sugar to the mixture for an extra sweet snack.

6

Dip banana slices in vinegar to preserve freshness.

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Just like fruit juice, vinegar coats the fruit with an acidic barrier. Simply add 2 tsp (8.4 g) of vinegar to 1 c (250 g) of water and dip your slices in. Although this is similar to the fruit juice hack, it tastes like anything but. If the vinegar makes your bananas taste too sour, try rinsing them before eating.^{[6]
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7

Dissolve Vitamin C in water to slow browning.

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Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a natural food preserving agent. When mixed with water, it can help prevent your banana slices from browning as it blocks air from getting to the fruit. Buy the product in a powder or tablet form (double check that it’s food safe) and follow the instructions on the packet. Once the powder or tablet is dissolved in water, place the banana slices into the solution for 3 to 5 minutes, drain, and then serve.^{[7]
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- The ascorbic acid may leave a slightly bitter, acidic flavor on your bananas, so consider this trick when using sliced bananas to decorate desserts. This way, the difference in taste won’t be as noticeable among the other ingredients.

8

Cover or store sliced bananas to limit air exposure.

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Place banana slices between wax paper or put them in an air-tight container. The fruit flesh of a banana will start to oxidize the second you remove the peel. If you move quickly enough, you can get them into another means of storage before they turn an ugly, mushy brown. Toss the bananas into a container with a lid to place in the fridge, or lay the slices evenly in between 2 sheets of wax paper before putting in the fridge or freezer.^{[8]
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- Try adding lemon juice or citric acid to the slices before storing them in a container or between wax paper, so they last even longer.
- With an added layer of lemon juice or citric acid, bananas can last 3 to 4 days stored this way.

9

Soak already browned slices in pineapple or grapefruit juice.

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Dump the discolored banana into a bowl and cover them with juice for 10 to 15 minutes. They won’t turn their original pale yellow color, but they’ll look fresher and more delicious.

10

Turn discolored banana slices into a banana treat.

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Browned bananas make delicious banana breads, pancakes, and cakes. If all else fails and your sliced bananas don’t look too appetizing to eat, consider baking something yummy where the color doesn’t matter! Mash up the banana slices in a bowl and whip up a batter. You’ll still be eating your banana, just in a different way!

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Question

Should I blot extra juice off the bananas when making banana cream pie?

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Yes, because too much extra water can cause your pie to crumble excessively.

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Can I use the juice from oranges?

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Yes, any citrus juice should help with discoloration.

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After lightly brushing cut bananas with lemon juice they got mushy. Why does this happen? How else can I prevent bananas from turning brown in recipes?

Community Answer

Instead of brushing, try spritzing with a dollar store sprayer. Brushing might be adding too much fluid and thus soaking the bananas.

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Tips

Consider storing ripened bananas in the fridge until you want to slice them. The cold temperature will slow the ripening process and help them last longer.

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