Finding better ways to help consumers figure out how long their edible purchases will last is an ongoing priority.  Recently, the U.S. government and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been working together on the matter, and they've come up with an app called Foodkeeper with shelf life information on some 400 products including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and produce. Also for shelf-life answers, chemists at MIT have developed an inexpensive portable sensor that can detect gases produced by decaying meat; it tells consumers whether to eat that chicken or discard it.  Let's learn more about both of these projects.

Question from a reader:  "How can I manage to keep ripe but not overripe bananas in my home?  I don't live near a grocery store and can get to one only once a week. I usually wind up with mushy, disgusting-looking bananas that I have to throw out."

My condolences.  I know that bananas can drive you bananas. You may be comforted to know that your query has given my research skills quite a workout. Online, I've found plenty of advice, some of which didn't work for me. Keep in mind this witty comment (often quoted with slight variations) by H.L. Mencken (1880-1956), journalist, satirist, and curmudgeon: "For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." 

In addition to the online methods for prolonging the edible life of bananas that I tested, this article includes more trustworthy wisdom from four of the scientists who serve on the Shelf Life Advice Advisory Board.