Hot on the heels of tearless onions and low-fat avocados, comes another miracle item in the produce aisle. Scientists in Japan have just created bananas with edible peels. The new fruit is called “The Mongee” which is Japanese slang for “incredible,” and that’s a pretty apt name. Even if we’re not sure why anyone would want to eat the exterior of a banana, you’ve got to admit it’s got novelty appeal (a peel, get it?!)
The fruit is grown using an extreme freezing and thawing process. Normal bananas are typically grown at around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but Mongees are kept at negative 76 degrees. They’re then thawed and replanted, which allows for rapid growth and creates a thin peel that has the texture of lettuce.
D&T Farm, the organization responsible for these edible oddities claims they also have exceptional nutritional qualities. The peel itself is reportedly a great source of vitamin B6, magnesium, and tryptophan.
But what does it actually taste like? Journalists in Toyko claim the thin skin has a “very strong tropical flavor,” like a pineapple, lacking the bitterness of a typical banana peel. It’s also very thin and smooth in texture.
So when will be able to actually eat them? It’s hard to say. D&T Farm spokesperson Tetsuya Tanaka claims that they’re considering exporting the fruit to the United States, but it could take a while. And cost a lot. Production costs are so incredibly high for these bananas that only ten of them go on sale a week an Okayama prefecture department store in Western Japan. They also cost a whopping $5.75 a piece! I don’t know how much you’re willing to pay for gimmicky fruit but nearly six bucks for an individual banana is probably not in your grocery budget.
Luckily we won’t be tempted by the option anytime soon.
from Food News – Chowhound http://ift.tt/2DBORhx
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