Bananas and Watermelons dilemma. (dodgy dealings)

[easybullet3]

I'm just wondering if any of you guys know anything on either of the following (because this is driving me nuts)..

1) Do Thai Farmers inject Watermelons with Water (+sugar+red food colouring) to increase their WEIGHT for sale ? is there any way I can tell apart an injected watermelon from a non injected one ? (would there not be a pierce mark on the watermelon? or would it heal perfectly?

2) is there anywhere I can buy Bananas (in Bangkok) that HAVE NOT been dipped into Ethephon (ethrel solution) or Calcium carbide to ripen them faster.

(every single Banana seller in the Street Markets, tell me that their Bananas have been dipped!!) i really dont want this. what happened to Natural bananas?

i TRULY appreciate any information as we eat a LOT of fruit every day.

Thank you

[loong]

You already have a topic re watermelons, why repeat it here?

And why repeat your query re bananas in your watermelon topic?

[chaiyapoon]

I stay in a fruit tree growing area.My girlfriend sells locally produced fruit she has grown water melons in the past.

She says Thai bananas ripen too quickly and wouldn't need anything to speed them up.Hers are straight off the tree.

Water melons she has never seen any or heard of any being injected.

[wayned]

We have a few banana trees and my wife sells them to the local outdoor market vendor. Never dipped and a loy ripen and are eaten by birds before they can be harvested.

they used to grow watermelons near us but due to the water situation most farmers have changed crops. They were never injected and sold at roadside markets where they were bought by the truckload and sent to Bangkok.

[DGS1244]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting.

[topt]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting.

"I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening" - curious how do you do that as I normally end up eating more bananas than I want due to ripening too quickly?

[Tracyb]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting.

"I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening" - curious how do you do that as I normally end up eating more bananas than I want due to ripening too quickly?

One way to preserve bananas as they ripen is to peel them, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for about a month. They can then be used in smoothies! They get the smoothies cold, and emulsify the ingredients. They will tend to darken as they remain in the freezer, but they are still ok to use.

[TheFishman1]

Never heard of this

[masuk]

You already have a topic re watermelons, why repeat it here?

And why repeat your query re bananas in your watermelon topic?

what sort of troll reply is that?

if you can't be helpful, zip it!

[how241]

Never heard of this

+1...My thai g/f also never heard anything about that.

[loong]

You already have a topic re watermelons, why repeat it here?

And why repeat your query re bananas in your watermelon topic?

what sort of troll reply is that?

if you can't be helpful, zip it!

And your reply is helpful how?

I suggest that you take your own advice.

You may not realise that duplicating threads is frowned upon.

[seancbk]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting.

"I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening" - curious how do you do that as I normally end up eating more bananas than I want due to ripening too quickly?

I buy packets of 5 bananas in the supermarket, I pick ones that are already ripe as I can't stand slightly green ones.

I take them out of the plastic bag they are sold in and put them in the fridge.

Even after a week or more they are still good, although the skin will go brown, the banana inside stays fine.

[tonray]

Wouldn't the extra cost of the sugar outstrip the extra they got in weight of the melons ?

[topt]

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I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting.

"I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening" - curious how do you do that as I normally end up eating more bananas than I want due to ripening too quickly?

One way to preserve bananas as they ripen is to peel them, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for about a month. They can then be used in smoothies! They get the smoothies cold, and emulsify the ingredients. They will tend to darken as they remain in the freezer, but they are still ok to use.

I buy packets of 5 bananas in the supermarket, I pick ones that are already ripe as I can't stand slightly green ones.

I take them out of the plastic bag they are sold in and put them in the fridge.

Even after a week or more they are still good, although the skin will go brown, the banana inside stays fine.

Thanks but I was hoping DGS1244 had found someway to retard ripening with a big bunch - 15 or so bananas

[Alwyn]

@easybullet3. My inlaws grow watermelons seasonally. They've never heard of injecting them. I don't know the answer on the bananas but I do know that spraying fruits with Ethephon (tomatoes mangoes, apples etc) to promote ripening is fairly common on a worldwide basis. The way to stop bananas from ripening rapidly is is to tie or cover the ends where the bunch is joined with a non-clear plastic bag. It stops them browning quickly and when they do turn brown (which will normally be after a couple of weeks, the bananas don't turn soft and mushy and the fruit itself doesn't discolour! I have been doing this for years after watching a video of it and it truly works!

[Nowisee]

a simple search on wikihow revealed quite a bit on this... I never knew about the plastic on the end. and it mentions once they are ripe, put in fridge...good stuff.

[BlueSkyCowboy]

Never heard of this

Now you have hear about it. Imagine haha

[glegolo]

Never heard of this

+1...My thai g/f also never heard anything about that.

Maybe you should ask a neighbor or something, your girlfriend maybe is not that good in the kitchen... We

peel them, and keep them in our fridge, in a plastic container, and they are OK easily more than 8-10 days...

slightly darkening, but the taste is there, no question about that!!

Glegolo

[easybullet3]

You already have a topic re watermelons, why repeat it here?

And why repeat your query re bananas in your watermelon topic?

because no one is really replying... and its a really important question that I am trying so hard to get answered by people who know better than me.

asking a few times is fine.. (in my opinion).

People who give-up after the 1st try dont get far (i think). perseverance is important sometimes.

i am more likely to get my answer compared to someone that only asks once.

[Bill Miller]

Separating the bananas will also slow down the ripening a bit.

[rice555]

You already have a topic re watermelons, why repeat it here?

And why repeat your query re bananas in your watermelon topic?

because no one is really replying... and its a really important question that I am trying so hard to get answered by people who know better than me.

asking a few times is fine.. (in my opinion).

People who give-up after the 1st try dont get far (i think). perseverance is important sometimes.

i am more likely to get my answer compared to someone that only asks once.

No, it's just a waste of time, buy cantaloupe!!!

If you are paranoid about what's in the food, you shouldn't have moved to a 3rd. world country.

I could never figure out why people jogged in BKK and filled their lungs with the shitty air.

rice555

[easybullet3]

I stay in a fruit tree growing area.My girlfriend sells locally produced fruit she has grown water melons in the past.

She says Thai bananas ripen too quickly and wouldn't need anything to speed them up.Hers are straight off the tree.

Water melons she has never seen any or heard of any being injected.

thanks for the info..

I suspect your gf grows small amounts in her Garden.. (not as a commercial farmer).

i know 100% that the bananas are all dipped in a Ripening Solution (for sale in all the markets in Bangkok).

of all the 10+ sellers at the 2 different markets I go to,,, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM confirms that their Bananas have been 'dipped' to ripen them faster!

i did buy some GREEN organic bananas at Lemon Farm shop in Bangkok,,, and they took 2 weeks to ripen.

and some similar Green Bananas from the Market took 3 or 4 days to ripen!! (PS: I am talking about the Cavendish (Hom) Bananas.

there is a MASSIVE difference in the texture and taste.

the 'dipped' bananas go mushy faster. they over-ripen far to quickly. (let alone the chemicals I must be consuming).

as for watermelon, again, your gf has no need to do this.. and I highly doubt that any farmer will admit to doing this! (its like an accountant blurting out to his friends that he cooks his clients books)... its a private thing that not many people will admit to.

[easybullet3]

We have a few banana trees and my wife sells them to the local outdoor market vendor. Never dipped and a loy ripen and are eaten by birds before they can be harvested.

they used to grow watermelons near us but due to the water situation most farmers have changed crops. They were never injected and sold at roadside markets where they were bought by the truckload and sent to Bangkok.

thats interesting about the Watermelons. (thanks)

with regard to the Banana dipping.. (i am guessing that the Distributor dips them (just before delivering to the market vendors).

this will allow the GREEN bananas to get Yellow faster so they are more sell-able in the markets. (and i am sure that market sellers dont want to be lumbered with Green bananas for 2 weeks.... hence dipping so they can move their stock faster.

[easybullet3]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting

One way to preserve bananas as they ripen is to peel them, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for about a month. They can then be used in smoothies! They get the smoothies cold, and emulsify the ingredients. They will tend to darken as they remain in the freezer, but they are still ok to use.

I buy packets of 5 bananas in the supermarket, I pick ones that are already ripe as I can't stand slightly green ones.

I take them out of the plastic bag they are sold in and put them in the fridge.

Even after a week or more they are still good, although the skin will go brown, the banana inside stays fine.

when it comes to EATING bananas,, i'm an expert I eat about 15 or more bananas almost every day!!

- if you store them in a WARM room, then they ripen even faster... the cooler areas of your home (if any) allow them to ripen slower.

I usually keep them out of the fridge, (because I eat them quickly)... but if they are starting to over-ripen, I stick them in the fridge and i get an extra day or two out of them. (dont worry about the black skin).

if they got too mushy,, they are fine for smoothies (if you can hack the idea of mush).

but dont eat or use bananas that smell fermented.

the freezer trick really does work... you MUST peel them (to prevent the skin sticking to the banana).. I never cut them into pieces. I just leave them whole... they are great for Mushing with a fork and you get 'instant banana ice-cream' (which tastes AMAZING).... (but, if you want them to defrost faster, then Yes, cut the bananas into smaller pieces) ..

i only know about TEMPERATURE as a way to quicken or slow the ripening process. I have been through umpteen websites and thats all i know.

Here is a photo of the amount of Bananas I usually have in my home

(i store them in my 2nd Bathroom as its cooler in there).

I will consume all these bananas within 4 or 5 days (Maximum).

I make Banana-shakes with about 7 to 10 Bananas in them.. (with 400 to 500ml of water,, and no ice and no sugar).

I have 2 of these a day usually..

Edited February 13, 2015 by easybullet3

[patongphil]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting

One way to preserve bananas as they ripen is to peel them, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for about a month. They can then be used in smoothies! They get the smoothies cold, and emulsify the ingredients. They will tend to darken as they remain in the freezer, but they are still ok to use.

I buy packets of 5 bananas in the supermarket, I pick ones that are already ripe as I can't stand slightly green ones.

I take them out of the plastic bag they are sold in and put them in the fridge.

Even after a week or more they are still good, although the skin will go brown, the banana inside stays fine.

when it comes to EATING bananas,, i'm an expert I eat about 15 or more bananas almost every day!!

- if you store them in a WARM room, then they ripen even faster... the cooler areas of your home (if any) allow them to ripen slower.

I usually keep them out of the fridge, (because I eat them quickly)... but if they are starting to over-ripen, I stick them in the fridge and i get an extra day or two out of them. (dont worry about the black skin).

if they got too mushy,, they are fine for smoothies (if you can hack the idea of mush).

but dont eat or use bananas that smell fermented.

the freezer trick really does work... you MUST peel them (to prevent the skin sticking to the banana).. I never cut them into pieces. I just leave them whole... they are great for Mushing with a fork and you get 'instant banana ice-cream' (which tastes AMAZING).... (but, if you want them to defrost faster, then Yes, cut the bananas into smaller pieces) ..

i only know about TEMPERATURE as a way to quicken or slow the ripening process. I have been through umpteen websites and thats all i know.

Here is a photo of the amount of Bananas I usually have in my home

(i store them in my 2nd Bathroom as its cooler in there).

I will consume all these bananas within 4 or 5 days (Maximum).

I make Banana-shakes with about 7 to 10 Bananas in them.. (with 400 to 500ml of water,, and no ice and no sugar).

I have 2 of these a day usually..

Bath Bananas.JPG

Are you sure you are not a Monkey?

[RedBullHorn]

Hope the second bathroom is not in use... The amount of bacteria from flushing toilet.

[easybullet3]

Here is a photo of the amount of Bananas I usually have in my home

(i store them in my 2nd Bathroom as its cooler in there).

I will consume all these bananas within 4 or 5 days (Maximum).

I make Banana-shakes with about 7 to 10 Bananas in them.. (with 400 to 500ml of water,, and no ice and no sugar).

I have 2 of these a day usually..

Bath Bananas.JPG

Are you sure you are not a Monkey?

hahaha!!

technially speaking... if I am a Monkey for eating lots of Bananas, then you must be a Lion or Tiger or whatever animal it is for the food that you might eat every day eieieie

[easybullet3]

Hope the second bathroom is not in use... The amount of bacteria from flushing toilet.

its not really in use.

me and my son just use the 1st bathroom.. its much nicer in there...

the 2nd bathroom is more of a storage room now

[whaleboneman]

I try to stop bananas I purchase from ripening, they degrade too fast anyway and as far a water melons go buy those cut in half then you know how much water you are getting

One way to preserve bananas as they ripen is to peel them, slice them into chunks, and freeze them in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for about a month. They can then be used in smoothies! They get the smoothies cold, and emulsify the ingredients. They will tend to darken as they remain in the freezer, but they are still ok to use.

I buy packets of 5 bananas in the supermarket, I pick ones that are already ripe as I can't stand slightly green ones.

I take them out of the plastic bag they are sold in and put them in the fridge.

Even after a week or more they are still good, although the skin will go brown, the banana inside stays fine.

when it comes to EATING bananas,, i'm an expert I eat about 15 or more bananas almost every day!!

- if you store them in a WARM room, then they ripen even faster... the cooler areas of your home (if any) allow them to ripen slower.

I usually keep them out of the fridge, (because I eat them quickly)... but if they are starting to over-ripen, I stick them in the fridge and i get an extra day or two out of them. (dont worry about the black skin).

if they got too mushy,, they are fine for smoothies (if you can hack the idea of mush).

but dont eat or use bananas that smell fermented.

the freezer trick really does work... you MUST peel them (to prevent the skin sticking to the banana).. I never cut them into pieces. I just leave them whole... they are great for Mushing with a fork and you get 'instant banana ice-cream' (which tastes AMAZING).... (but, if you want them to defrost faster, then Yes, cut the bananas into smaller pieces) ..

i only know about TEMPERATURE as a way to quicken or slow the ripening process. I have been through umpteen websites and thats all i know.

Here is a photo of the amount of Bananas I usually have in my home

(i store them in my 2nd Bathroom as its cooler in there).

I will consume all these bananas within 4 or 5 days (Maximum).

I make Banana-shakes with about 7 to 10 Bananas in them.. (with 400 to 500ml of water,, and no ice and no sugar).

I have 2 of these a day usually..

Bath Bananas.JPG

I have to know. Are you fat?

[easybullet3]

I have to know. Are you fat?

i'm SLIM !!!! i am 167cm tall and 56kg. (my BMI is just over 20)

i had so many people tell me that fruit makes you fat coz of the sugars in it.. and to tell the truth, its a complete load of rubbish.

i have a handful of friends that eat TONNES of fruit (alone with regular vegetarian food)... we all roughly eat the correct calories per day... (from 2000 to 3000+ calories per day)... depending on our personal sizes and fitness routines.

I am personally a bit lazy,, I dont work-out often at all... and I am mostly at the computer or at home.

but, myself, and ALL my friends are SLIM.

the ONLY fat people I know are the ones at KFC and eating the foods which i keep away from.

if you ever meet a fat person that says they are supposedly healthy,,, then it means that they are either 'just new on this lifestyle',, or they are LYING. (cheating... eating junk behind closed doors) ... or, they dont realy understand what healthy food is... (some people think that a salad sandwich with a box-orange juice is healthy).. when it is not at all... (the bread bungs up the digestive system and the box-orange juice is from 'concentrate' (sugar and flavorings).

anyway... fruit DOES NOT MAKE YOU FAT.

the junk food that people eat makes them fat.

Edited February 18, 2015 by easybullet3