Fruit ripening are governed by an gas called ethylene. Most fruits produces ethylene, and the ethylene gas tells the fruit to go from a firm state of the fruit to a soft state of the fruit. The way that the fruits produce ethylene gas isnt the same for all fruits; therefore, fruits can be categorized into two group: climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.
Climacteric fruits will continue to ripen after the fruit is pick from the plant. These fruits will produce ethylene gas after they are harvested from the plant, which will allow them to become sweeter and soft while sitting on a counter in the kitchen. Some example of climacteric fruits include apples, bananas, mangoes, avocados, peaches, and pears.
How Fruits Ripen and How to Store Them
Because these fruits contain ethylene gas, people often use them to help other, non-climacteric fruits to become ripe. Non-climacteric fruits that are placed in the same bag as a climacteric fruit will eventualy become ripe due to an ethylene gas that the climacteric fruit releases. However, you should take care to ensure that climacteric fruits are not left out for too long, as too much ethylene gas can make these fruits become overripe and mushy.
Non-climacteric fruits will not continue to ripen after they are harvested from the plant. These fruits dont contain the amount of ethylene gas necessary to allow the fruits to continue to becoming sweet and soft after they are harvested. Therefore, non-climacteric fruits must be harvested when they are already ripe.
Examples of non-climacteric fruits include strawberries, grapes, citrus fruits, cherries, pineapples, watermelons, blueberries, and raspberries. Because non-climacteric fruits will not continue to ripen, climacteric fruits cant be used to make them become sweet. The color and smell of these fruits must be examined when they are at the store to ensure they are ripe prior to purchase.
Fruits can be stored in two different way, depending off whether they are climacteric or non-climacteric fruits. Unripe climacteric fruits should be stored at room temperature to allow them to ripen. Once they have reached the ripe stage, the fruits should be stored in the refrigerator.
Bananas and apples can be stored in the refrigerator for an extended amount of time. However, green bananas will be prone to bruise if they are stored in the refrigerator. Non-climacteric fruits should be stored in the refrigerator immediate after they are purchased.
Fruit should be stored in a way to prevent them from spoil. Apples contain a high amount of ethylene gas, which will make other, more delicate fruits spoil quick if they are stored near these fruits. Similarly, if the fruits are stored in the refrigerator in a way that they are all crowded together, the spoilage of one fruit will lead to the spoilage of the remaining fruit in that fridge.
Following these rules will allow for better control over the ripening of the fruits and lead to the reduction of food waste.