How to Buy a Ripe Papaya

Papaya is one of those treasured exotic fruits that is sweet, low in calories and helps to aid digestion. Unfortunately, papaya is often quite expensive, and for an untrained eye, buying a ready-to-eat, ripe papaya can be a bit tricky. Don't waste your money on a disappointing fruit; learn to pick the perfect papaya.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Buy ripe papaya by selecting a fruit that is predominantly yellow. Papaya is picked when it is still green and firm, as it is harder to bruise during shipping than the ripe fruit. If you simply cannot find ripe papaya, green papaya can be placed in a paper bag for a few days to facilitate ripening.

2. Watch for soft spots or sunken spots when purchasing papaya; however, do not be overly concerned with the smoothness of the skin. Often the thin skin of papaya will begin to wrinkle a bit when ripe, but it will by no means affect the overall taste or quality of the fruit.

3. Smell papaya, as a ripe papaya fruit should have a light, sweet smell. If the papaya is unripe, it will have very little smell at all, while overripe papaya will have an overpowering, sweet smell.

4. Feel the papaya gently, but do not squeeze too hard, as the fruit easily bruises. Ripe papaya should feel a bit like ripe avocado, with a pliable but not overly soft skin.

5. Eat ripe papaya immediately or place it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator as soon as possible to halt the ripening process. Don't freeze papaya, as it destroys the texture and flavor of the fruit.