By World War II, public pressure and political reorganization in those countries caused influence of the U.S. fruit company to wane. Shipping bananas was difficult and expensive. Cargoes of bananas were often ruined because carbon dioxide and ethylene from bruised and ripe bananas caused rotting. Today, bananas are picked green and shipped under refrigeration. Ripening is induced by the application of ethylene after arrival of shipments at their destination.
Harvest is by hand, with great care taken to avoid bruising because injured fruits release ethylene.
Only perfect bananas are used for shipping. They are picked green, dipped in pesticide and packed. Eaten fresh in the New World, bananas are fried, used for beer, steamed, boiled, dried or roasted in their native region of Asia. Starchy bananas are a staple of the region.