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News Release 09-170

Bananas Gone Bad Glow Blue in UV-Light

Holds promise for studying how organisms cleanse themselves of dying cells

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As bananas age, the chlorophyll in their peels breaks down into particles called FCCs (fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites). Since these glowing particles occur in close proximity to dying tissue, they hold promise of lighting the way in studying programmed cell death.



Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation



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Ripening bananas glow blue in UV light, developing halos around the dying tissue of the dark spots. On the left is a photograph of a banana using "white" daylight. On the right is a photo showing the banana in "black" light.



Credit: Simone Moser, University of Innsbruck, Austria, et al.