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From: pyle@ut-ngp.UUCP (Keith Pyle)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Basis for Ripening Avocados & Other Fruits
Message-ID: <124@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 13-Nov-83 12:54:30 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.124
Posted: Sun Nov 13 12:54:30 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Nov-83 00:25:03 EST
Organization: Comp. Center, Univ. of Texas at Austin
Lines: 16

Placing an avocado in a closed container, even a paper bag, will
increase the rate at which it ripens.  The reason is that ripening
fruits give off ethlyene oxide (1,2-epoxyethane) and it promotes
further ripening.  By placing the item in a closed container,
you raise the level of the gas and increase the rate of ripening.
This principle has been exploited by the large growers, particularly
in the case of tomatoes, who will pick the item somewhat green
and then expose it to ethlyene oxide.  Thus, you get red but
not thoroughly ripe tomatoes.  I'm told that exposure to the
gas also gives tomatoes that rather slick feeling you often encounter
on the skin of supermarket tomatoes.

"One bad apple spoils the whole barrel."

Keith Pyle
. . .!ihnp4!ut-ngp!pyle