Ideally, red bananas should be eaten when they are soft, but not mushy. In the store, consumers should look for an even-colored, dark skin which shows no signs of cracks, pits, discoloration, or mold. If the bananas are not perfectly ripe, they will ripen in a few days at room temperature, and refrigeration is generally not advised for red bananas, because it can make them extremely mushy. A red banana will also emit ethylene gas, so people should be careful about storing these bananas next to other fruits, as the gas hastens ripening.