Yes, red bananas. They do seem to be a thing. Although I think I’d heard of them they recently came to my consciousness as our local supermarket was stocking them. In the interests of experimentation, I tried them so you don’t have to.

So what are they like?

Well, the clue is in the name. They are bananas, and they’re a red/brown colour: not really properly red, more a dark maroon. The flesh is pale on the outside, but once bitten into is noticeably darker yellow inside.

The ones I got were rather too ripe for my particular taste (I like fruit on the under ripe side) and as a result they were soft with a floury texture, a bit like … well … a ripe banana.

The taste was slightly odd. Clearly banana but with a much more pronounced banana flavour – basically from isoamyl acetate – compared with normal yellow bananas. But also somewhat more fruity.

Overall, for me, this gave a rather unpleasant mouthfeel. They may be better if under ripe, but I won’t be hurrying to repeat the experiment.

Overall Verdict: ★☆☆☆☆ Meh. Don’t bother.