Fruit farmers in Okayama, Japan, have managed to make peeling (剥皮) a banana optional by developing a special variety with eatable skin. The peel of their "Mongee bananas" isn't tastier, but it's much thinner and far less bitter than that of regular bananas, making it 100% eatable.
Scientists at D&T Farm in the country's Okayama Prefecture released the social media-ready news following months of experimenting with a freezing-and-thawing (解冻) method, which keeps the banana tree at extremely cold temperatures followed by a dramatic heat increase. The result is soft and thin skin that hasn't fully developed. They froze young banana trees to -60 degrees Celsius, planting them again as they began to thaw. This apparently activated an ancient part of their DNA, which not only allows the plant to grow in Japan's cool climate, but also accelerates its development. While tropical varieties of bananas require two years to grow large enough for consumption, the Mongee banana needs just four months.
The first batch (一批) of Mongee bananas hit department store shelves in November of last year, but getting your hand on one of these incredible fruits remains a huge challenge. D&T Farm only produces 10 bananas per week, and they only deliver them to the Fruit Corner of Tenmanya Okayama, a local department store. But even if you happen to find one available, you'd probably be a bit put off by the price – 648 yen ($5.70) per fruit.
Banana peel is an excellent ingredient that can contain vitamin B6 and magnesium related to the production of serotonin (血清素). At the same time, it's rich in substances called "tryptophan"(色氨酸), a raw material of serotonin which stabilizes the mind and has a positive effect on sleep. Research results that ripe fruit peels have a good effect on treating certain diseases have also been published.
John Guterman, a botanist, says, "And what about shipping? For most of the fruit's history, the peel has provided protection, allowing it to travel long distances. A softer, more bruise-prone (容易擦伤的) banana would be a step back from hardy banana varieties that travel thousands of miles." In this sense, the day we all stop peeling bananas and instead bite straight through their skin may still be a long way away.
