Papayas are a large tropical fruit that are still a bit of an unknown to the U.S. market. Although, they are similar to mangoes (another tropical fruit) in determining ripeness and selecting them, they have yet to fully catch on like mangoes have. In order to remove any confusion, this post is all about how to select and store papayas in order to be able to enjoy them to their fullest.
(This post is an excerpt from The Produce Nerd’s Grocery Guide, with input provided by Rita Nassur, who used to be a Professor and now works in Research & Development, and specializes in papayas, among other fruit. You can learn more about the Grocery Guide, which covers this information for 55 different produce items, with input from 26 crop-specific companies HERE.)
What to look for when picking the best quality papaya?
- The peel should be smooth without any bruising and yellowish in color, with some green areas (almost ripe). The skin should be at least 50% yellow in color. If not, the fruit will not be able to develop the best characteristics for consumers during ripening.
- The papaya should be soft, but not so soft that it does not fully yield to finger pressure. Many people like to buy papaya this way, so that it ripens at home. Papayas will ripen on their own, and there is no need to create ‘wounds’ with a knife to get them to ripen faster.
Common issues to avoid when selecting papaya?
- You should avoid black and white areas, which indicate fungi contamination, as well as bruises.
Are there any common issues that are specifically caused by bad grocery store handling?
- The most common issue is when the consumers inspect the papayas to see which one they want to select. If they squeeze the papaya too hard, it can cause internal and external damage, which create an entryway for microorganisms.
How do you ripen papaya at home?
- Since papayas are climacteric fruit and do continue ripening after harvest, you can bring a papaya that is on the harder side home and leave it on the counter to soften up. The ripeness is demonstrated based on the yield of the fruit to finger pressure.
Are there any new cultivars that are being grown that might have different quality indicators or common issues to look out for?
- Not that I know. The biggest differences are the flesh color, which we are not able to see at the time of purchase.
What is the best way to store papaya at home?
- In the refrigerator. Or, if you want to ripen the papaya quickly, you can store them at room temperature (no bruising or newspaper should be involved with this process).
What is your favorite way to eat and prepare papaya?
- The main way I eat papaya is by eating it in pulp, puree, juice, syrup and jam.
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