• Question: Do you like banana's (cause we're 50% banana)?

    Asked by Bethany ? to Claire, Franco, Koi, Linda, Mark on 18 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Franco Falcone

      Franco Falcone answered on 18 Jun 2016:


      @Bethany
      There is a so-called latex-fruit syndrome in which individuals allergic to latex (for example surgeons or nurses who wear latex gloves during surgery) frequently experience allergic symptoms against avocado and bananas, and other fruit (I think also melon – not entirely sure about the latter). This is due to the cross-reactivity of an antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) with proteins found in natural rubber (from which latex is made) and various fruits, as these all share similar proteins (called allergens).
      Luckily, latex gloves are being phased out more and more, which means that there should be less banana allergies in the future, and that it will become safer to eat them. Sometimes bananas can be very dangerous as the boxes in which they are transported can contain some very aggressive and venomous banana spiders, which again and again have found their ways into the supermarkets.
      So I always take a good look before I stick my hand into a box of bananas!

    • Photo: Mark Booth

      Mark Booth answered on 18 Jun 2016:


      Hi Bethany

      Apostrophe Alert!

      Banana’s what?

    • Photo: Arporn Wangwiwatsin

      Arporn Wangwiwatsin answered on 19 Jun 2016:


      Nice one Bethany!! XD Bananas are OK, but I usually only like them when they are coated in chocolate and drizzle with colourful sprinkle… otherwise I go with oranges and strawberries. (I wonder how similar we are to them ;))

    • Photo: Claire Bourke

      Claire Bourke answered on 20 Jun 2016:


      @bethany, I’m glad you asked that question as now I have also learnt something from @Franco about latex fruit syndrome!

      I love bananas, especially banana cake! Bananas also contain lots of vitamins and I tend to eat them after going for a run to boost my energy levels. I’m not sure I believe your statistic that we are 50% banana as, even if we have a 50% of our genome that is shared with bananas, by that analysis we would be 50% lots of other things too as our genome is shared with many plants and animals too. That said, maybe if I keep eating the banana cake I’ll up my % !

    • Photo: Linda Anagu

      Linda Anagu answered on 20 Jun 2016:


      @Bethany, absolutely, I love bananas and all my kids love them. I hope we do not go bananas.

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