A fruit that makes the French smile. According to the specialized site Sial, each person consumes an average of 12 kg of bananas per year in France. This product loaded with potassium therefore rises to second place among the favorite fruits of the French.
Flambée, nature or cake, the banana is therefore at the heart of the gastronomy of our country. But the popularity of this fruit does not stop at our borders and it is spread all over the world, so much so that it has even left an imprint on popular culture.
Whether in a Japanese video game, in an American comedy or in a French cartoon, the banana is present everywhere and often in the form of a gag. Indeed, who has never seen this scene where a protagonist slips on a banana peel before dropping both legs in the air in a ridiculous way… But, in real life, could this mishap happen?
According to the magazine Ca m’intrigues, when a banana peel is left abandoned, it decomposes into a pasty substance, more or less liquid. This material forms a layer that will reduce friction and therefore promotes sliding.
Banana peels aren’t as slippery as in fiction, though. But this legend comes from the 19th century, when the banana became a popular fruit in the United States. Townspeople would then throw the skins on the sidewalk, increasing the risk of slips and falls. Until a law prohibiting the throwing of waste on public roads was adopted, putting an end to this reality.
Fiction then took hold of this joke which has since become timeless. Trying to prank banana peels can be dangerous, but there are many more useful ways to reuse them.
