Fruit Ripening Stages

Find Out Which Fruits Never Ripe After Picking and Which Do

Oct 24, 2008 Annie Suh

Knowing what fruit ripens at what stage will help you purchase the best fruit to keep your taste buds happy and your body healthy.

Not all fruits are created equal. They have traits of their own. Some stubbornly don’t ripen after picking, some fruits may change into a deep, rich color and trick you, and some may ripen only after they are picked from the orchard.

Fruits That Never Ripen After Picking:

• Cherries
• Citrus fruits
• Grapes
• Lychee
• Olives
• Pineapple
• Soft berries
• Watermelon

Nature knows best. Your best bet is to avoid these fruits in the market if they are out of season. Instead, go for the seasonal fruits that are grown locally. You’ll even reduce your carbon footprint. Out-of-season fruits are picked weeks in advance or grown in artificial conditions that require more fertilizer, stripping the fruits from essential nutrients and giving them less flavor.

You can ask your local grocer which fruits are in season, or go here for a listing of fruits and vegetables grown in each season.

Fruits That Ripen in Appearance but not in Sweetness After Picking:

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Figs
• Honeydew
• Nectarines
• Passion fruit
• Peaches
• Persimmons

These fruits should also be eaten seasonally, unless you don’t mind ingesting fruit that is less than its potential. You may also opt to freeze fruit, like blueberries, if you know you will want to eat them in and out of season.

Fruit That Only Ripens After Picking:

• Avocado

Avocados are pretty much the only fruit that’s not ready to eat while still hanging from the tree. They need to be softened off the tree. Firm avocados take about two to three days to ripen. To speed up the process, place them with ripe apples in a paper bag and loosely close it by scrunching the top of the bag. Apples emit ethylene gas that make fruit ripen quickly. This includes bananas, tomatoes and cantaloupes.

Fruits That Become Sweeter After Picking:

• Apples
• Cherimoyas
• Kiwis
• Mangos
• Papayas
• Pears
• Sapotes
• Soursops

Though they have their special seasons, these fruits can be seen year-round because they can be picked early and exported without having to worry about taste. It naturally ripens to sweetness.

Fruit That Ripens in Every Way After Harvest:

• Bananas

We can depend on them every season. Bananas are always available at the produce section because they are easy to grow and can ripen at any stage.

Food for Thought

It’s good to remember that different countries have different seasons because of the sun’s tilt. Eating seasonally is best because it’s more nutritious, fresh and natural. Our body tends to crave the fruit that is in season. A watermelon is a summer fruit that quenches your thirst in the sweltering heat. But tangerines, lemons and persimmons are winter fruits that are high in vitamin C, used to fend off colds; they can be used to make hot tea and warm up the body.

Further Reading:

See "Food Mile Secrets Revealed" to find out about fruits that travel farthest to reach you during colder months, or "Summer Fruit" to find out about fruits in the hotter months in North America.

References:

• The Taunton Press. “Choosing Fruit That’s Truly Ripe.” Taunton.com
• Veg Box Recipes, 2008. “Why Buy Seasonal Fruit.” Vegbox-recipes.co.uk

The copyright of the article Fruit Ripening Stages in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Annie Suh. Permission to republish Fruit Ripening Stages in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Fruit produce

Strawberries

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