Kate Hall, a food preservation and food waste reduction specialist, collaborated with the Aldi supermarket chain in the United Kingdom to recommend a simple method for preserving ripe bananas: peel the fruit, slice it into rounds, spread them on a lined tray so they do not stick together, and only then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag. The specialist acknowledges that it is not always possible to make banana bread every time a bunch ripens before its time, so the preparation allows the fruit to be stored for future recipes such as banana ice cream or treats with chocolate and peanut butter.
The technique, also explained by New Mexico State University, prevents the pieces from clumping together, making it easier to remove controlled portions without needing to thaw the entire contents. However, the article warns that frozen bananas become softer after thawing, since ice crystals can rupture the fruit's cell walls, which makes them more suitable for preparations where this texture is not problematic.
The recommendation came as part of an Aldi UK campaign dedicated to using the freezer to reduce food waste. A study published by the chain indicated that each Briton wastes an average of £387 per year (approximately €452) in food, and that seven out of ten admitted to buying food knowing it would probably end up in the bin. Luke Emery, Aldi UK's National Sustainability Director, pointed to reducing waste in customers' homes as one of the initiative's goals.
Aldi has been present in Portugal since 2006, when it opened three stores in the Algarve. In May, the German chain had more than 150 supermarkets and more than 2,800 workers in the country. In July, it opened a new store at Avenida da Fonte Santa, in Quarteira, the 23rd in the Faro district and the fourth in the municipality of Loulé, creating 28 jobs.
