# Banana Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-question/97405>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 7, 2001, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-question/97405 "2001-12-07T08:31:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a6a055/32.png) [@zub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zub)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2001, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-question/97405/1 "2001-12-07T08:31:29Z")

</div>

After a banana is peeled, one finds thin string like strands still sticking to the banana. What are these called and what is their purpose?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2001, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banana-question/97405/2 "2001-12-07T08:39:10Z")

</div>

It’s **pith**. No cause for alarm, though it doesn’t taste nice. Not sure of its “purpose”, however.