If you’re fond of eating bananas, you’ve probably encountered a banana with a black core or center. Such bananas always come with a mushy feel and can get highly soft. But, with the same yellow exterior, you may wonder if it’s safe to eat. So, you may ask:
Is it safe to eat if the banana is black in the middle? It is generally not advisable to eat black bananas in the middle. On the outside, bananas with this issue may appear yellow, but they are black inside. A more accurate term to use is a black center syndrome, and it can affect some bananas, making them unideal for consumption.
Of course, it’s arguable for many people, especially since throwing a banana seems wasteful. If the blackened part is only the center, you may think the outside is still safe to eat. However, there are some things to consider before you do so to avoid further complications.
In this article, we’ll walk you through all you need to know about this case in bananas. This way, you can understand this problem and know the risks involved before consuming such type of fruit.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
Why are my bananas black in the middle?
Oxygen from the air oxidizes the polyphenol oxidase in bananas, which causes the black core of bananas. Although you can consume such bananas, it is best to avoid them. This condition results from the polyphenol oxidase and another substance in bananas forming an anthraquinone-like substance.
Two things can cause the black center syndrome. You can either be dealing with a fungal infection or mishandling at the distribution center.
During the ripening process, bananas’ skin turns yellow, brown, and black. Therefore, it is safe to eat bananas that are yellow or brown. However, when bananas turn black, they are rotten. You might notice that black bananas become mushy and smelly after becoming completely soft.
There is a possibility that you may suffer from diarrhea and vomiting if you eat contaminated food that has a fungal infection.
Black centers may also indicate mishandling, such as when dropped or crushed under heavy crates. The banana appears black as a result of bruising caused by stress.
Whenever you open a fruit, it turns black. After that, the fruit goes bad. Therefore, it is advisable to use fruits as soon as possible after cutting them open. In the case of bananas, if they start turning dark brown, it is not advisable to consume them since, as we have discussed, decay will soon start to set in. What about those bananas that have black centers?
You could cut out the ripe parts of your banana and enjoy them with some ice cream. However, it would be ideal if the rest of your banana was not black. The black center syndrome affects only the center of the banana and does not spread to the rest of it. Therefore, avoid eating the black parts because these are inedible.
Is it safe to eat a black banana in the middle?
Yes, it is safe to eat a banana with black in the middle. However, you should only eat the outer parts and not the ones with black color in them.
You can always scrape out the yellow parts whenever you have a banana with a black core since they are still safe to eat. However, you should discard the black center since it’s inedible and may cause several problems if consumed.
The black center syndrome causes this black center, and the good thing is that it only affects the center and does not spread towards the outer parts.
For this reason, it’s safe to assume that you can eat the outer parts without worries as long as you discard the black core.
Can a black banana in the middle make you sick?
Yes, a banana with a black center or middle can make you sick, but only when eating the blackened parts.
The black center syndrome causes this case of bananas, affecting the core of bananas while leaving the outer parts unaffected.
Now, while you can eat the outer parts, you should always check first if they aren’t soft to the point that they’re mushy. If so, then you may want to discard the whole fruit completely.
It can be a sign of a fungal infection, and eating such can make you vomit or suffer from diarrhea or other digestive problems.
For this reason, you should always check the banana before eating them. Then, if the outer part looks safe and smells alright, you can eat it without worries.
Summary
In a nutshell, it is not advisable to eat bananas that are black in the middle. Bananas with this issue may appear yellow from the outside, but they are, in fact, black on the inside. Therefore, it can cause black centers in some bananas, rendering them unfit for consumption.
Despite our best efforts, sometimes it is impossible to avoid the blackened centers of our bananas. Even though blackened banana centers are not dangerous, it still means that something wrong happened to the fruit. Thus, there is no reason to eat something like that.
Also Read:
Resources
Image credits – Canva