Subject: Re: Composting No Nošs
From: Chris French <news15698@spennithorne.demon.co.uk>
Organization: Its-here-somewhere
Date: Sun, 02 Aug 98 02:39:06
Message-ID: <MOD$980801.19810@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980730.4793@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



In article <MOD$980801.3150@rec.gardens.ecosystems>, Rev Chuck
writes
>
>Cass Bernstein wrote:
>>
>> I know I read somewhere that banana peels shouldnšt be composted because of
>> residue from the gas used to ripen green bananas. Does anyone know if that
>> is accurate? Išve read stuff about not composting dairy, oil, fish, meat,
>> and non-herbivore manure. Išve read about not composting noxious weed
>> seeds, roots or other reproductive parts. But I canšt locate the banana
>> peel source. Urban myth?
>> ‹Cass
>
>Probably ethylene gas would be used to ripen bananas. It's a
>safe product; ripe apples give it off. Residues would be nonexistant,
>as the spent gas would completely evaporate once the fruit left the
>fumigation chamber. Interesting, though, because I thought bananas had
>to be shipped green to endure handling. The green ones I buy seem to
>turn yellow without help.
>

All fruits give off ethylene gas when ripe, in fact bananas are a
particularly good source which is why some people recommend not keeping
them in the fruit bowl as they can cause other fruits to get to ripe to
quickly.

You are correct about bannans being shipped green. But they will ripen
of their own accord, it's just that exposing them to ethylene gas can
speed up the process.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson
Leeds

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