Have you ever wondered why some fruits and vegetables ripen faster than others?
It all has to do with ethylene gas. This article will tell you everything you need to know about ethylene gas and fruit ripening. Read on to learn more!
If you've ever gone to the grocery store and bought a bunch of ripe bananas only to find that they're overripe by the time you get home, you can thank ethylene gas for that.
Ethylene gas is a naturally occurring hormone that fruits and vegetables produce as they ripen. The gas causes the fruit or vegetable to ripen faster.
All fruits and vegetables produce ethylene gas as they ripen, but some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to it than others.
That's why some fruits and vegetables, like bananas, avocados, and tomatoes, will continue to ripen even after they've been picked. Other fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, will stop ripening once picked.
How Ethylene Gas Works
When a fruit or vegetable begins to produce ethylene gas, it triggers a series of events that cause the fruit or vegetable to ripen. For instance, the ethylene gas will cause the fruit or vegetable to soften as it ripens. This is because the fruit or vegetable cell walls begin to break down due to the ethylene gas.
Additionally, ethylene gas causes the fruit or vegetable to change colour as it ripens. This is because the chlorophyll in the fruit or vegetable begins to break down when exposed to ethylene gas. As the chlorophyll breaks down, other pigments in the fruit or vegetable are revealed, causing it to change colour.
Finally, ethylene gas causes the fruit or vegetable to produce a distinct smell as it ripens. This is because ethylene gas causes the membranes of the fruit or vegetable's cells to break down, releasing enzymes that interact with each other and produce a unique smell.
Conclusion:
Ethylene gas is a naturally occurring hormone that fruits and vegetables produce as they ripen. The gas causes the fruit or vegetable to ripen faster. All fruits and vegetables produce ethylene gas as they ripen, but some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to it than others.
That's why some fruits and vegetables, like bananas, avocados, and tomatoes, will continue to ripen even after they've been picked. Other fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, will stop ripening once picked.
And of course if you want 79%+ less ethylene gas in your fridge simply order a Food So Fresh Fridge filter now.