Eli5: Why do bananas “infect” other foods with their banana flavor?

Question

You know how when you have a banana in a place where you keep other foods, sometimes your other food has a banana aftertaste, even if it was wrapped in plastic. How does that work? What chemicals are at play? How are they getting through other foods?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

They naturally release ethylene gas that makes them ripen , the gas gets into everything near it .