Chitosan used to lengthen shelf life of bananas in China

Posted On: August 30, 2012

Scientists have figured out how to use chitosan — a substance derived from shrimp and crab shells — to delay the ripening of bananas for up to two weeks. Scientists speaking in Philadelphia at the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society described experiments designed to develop a spray-on coating that consumers could use themselves.

The coating, a “hydrogel,” is a superabsorbent material made from chitosan. Xihong Li, PhD, who presented the report, noted that chitosan is a great option for the feat because of its action in killing bacteria that cause produce to rot.

More info