Ripening

• Ripening is the process of developing all the desirable characteristics of fruits. Ethylene has been shown to act like a switch to trigger changes associated with ripening.
• The fruit becomes soft, less acidic, sweet and aromatic. Often ripening is associated with the development of yellow color.
• Ripening is usually practiced in climacteric fruits. In climacteric fruits there is autocatalytic ethylene production.
• Once the climacteric fruits are exposed to supra-optional level of ethylene autocatalytic production occurs and initiates climacteric rise.
• The development of sweet taste at ripe stage is as results of breakdown of acids than sugar and also due to reduction in moisture as a result of dehydration.
• In non-climacteric fruits treatments with ethylene will improve the color as in oranges, the process is known as degreening since the green color is replaced by yellow orange or orange color.