Dipping bananas that are 75% green in a solution of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE - a natural fatty acid) for 30 minutes increased the bananas' shelf life by 1 to 2 days, writes Science World Report. According to the press release, LPE improves the shelf life by maintaining membrane integrity, reducing respiration, and slowing the breakdown of starch and cell walls during the ripening and senescence of the fruit tissue. The study was published in HortScience.
