Anyone with brown bananas in kitchen warned to look out for 1 vital thing

Bananas are one of the most popular items on the weekly shopping list. They're tasty, affordable, and packed with nutrients. But anyone who buys them regularly knows just how quickly they ripen, and before long, you're left with brown bananas sitting on the counter.

While most of the time, these overripe fruits are perfectly safe to eat, experts have issued an important warning for those with very brown bananas in the kitchen. According to Healthline, the one key thing to watch out for is mould, liquid seeping from the banana, or an unpleasant smell. If you spot any of these signs, the fruit has likely started to rot and should not be eaten.

In the warning by Healthline, the experts wrote: "A banana that has turned brown because it is overripe likely won't make you sick.

"However, if a banana has begun to grow mould, is releasing liquid, or has an unpleasant smell, it has likely begun to rot and is no longer safe to eat."

But for most brown or black bananas, there's no need to worry.

In fact, they can be easier to digest than yellow ones, and they're still packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Healthline experts explained: "You might assume brown bananas are less nutritious than yellow ones, but in actuality, the difference between the two is fairly small.

"Brown bananas still contain healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants."

Riper bananas also tend to be sweeter, making them a perfect addition to recipes like smoothies, oatmeal, or pancakes.

For smoothies, brown bananas blend just as well and provide a richer flavour thanks to their higher sugar content.

They're also great in porridge. "Adding brown bananas to your oatmeal is a simple way to add a touch of sweetness without using added sugars," the experts said.

And when it comes to pancakes, some even prefer them over regular bananas.

Healthline says many people swear by using very ripe ones for "the sweetest, fluffiest pancake".

The experts also shared tips on how to prevent bananas from going brown too quickly to avoid waste in the future.

Keeping them out in the open, rather than in a bag, can slow the ripening process by allowing the ethylene gas they release to escape.

Buying fewer at a time or picking ones that are still slightly green can also help.

Recently, Food Waste Feast revealed the four best ways to use brown or ripe bananas.