How to store cut papaya?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “How to store cut papaya?” and will discuss different ways to store papaya.

How to store cut papaya?

To store the cut papaya, keep the cut papaya in an airtight container and refrigerate it if you’d like to eat it later on in the day. You must remove the seeds from the chopped fruit before placing them in the container. Lower temperatures of storage prevent fruits from loss in vitamins as well in texture (1).

 How to Keep Unripe Papayas Fresh?

Papaya is harvested unripe and its maturation process occurs, independently from the ripeness stage of harvest. Even if the fruit has a green skin, it will ripen and turn yellow or orange, depending on the variety. Ripening of papaya depends on the temperature and ethylene may trigger this process (2). Unripe papaya may be stored in many ways depending on when you want to consume it. Do you want to eat your papayas right away? Perhaps you aren’t in a hurry at all, after all. Here are a few tips on how to keep papayas that aren’t quite ripe.

Store papaya on the kitchen counter

Wait till the papaya is fully ripe before you consume it if you’re not in a rush. Set the room temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage ripening. Use this procedure only if you have fruits that are at least partly yellow. The papayas will ripen in a few days if you keep them out in the open at normal temperature. When the fruits are harvested in early stages and are very unripe, the maturation process will take longer, about 7 days. However, if the papaya shows signs of maturation, such as yellow spots on the skin, it will ripen in 3 to 4 days. During this time, the skin turns yellow / orange and the firmness decreases. There is also an increase of 20-30% in the vitamin C amount (2).

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Wrap the papaya in paper bags

Store papayas in a paper bag to hasten the ripening process if you can’t wait. Wrap the fruit in a paper bag and store it in a dry location. Do not let your papaya get overripe by failing to check on it often. Being a climacteric fruit, papaya produces ethylene, a fruit hormone which speeds the ripening process. Wrapping the papaya, ethylene is trapped and may increase the ripening rate (2).

Banana for papaya ripening

Bananas may speed up the ripening process of papayas. However, instead of putting it in one of those paper bags, you’ll be keeping a banana in there as well. A banana hormone may speed up the ripening process of any other fruit, even papaya! As mentioned above, this hormone is ethylene. Bananas produce high quantities of ethylene during its own ripening and can thereby ripen other fruits. Ethylene increases the respiration rate of papaya and biochemical changes, such as sugar and ascorbic acid production, as well as changes in the texture, which becomes less firm (2). At least twice a day, open the bag and examine the papaya for signs of ripeness.

Storage of Ripe Papaya

The papaya must be stored correctly after it is fully ripe. If you don’t, you may find yourself creating a puree out of your papaya to avoid throwing it out. To ensure that this does not happen, use one of the following techniques to keep the papaya fresh:

Get It in the Fridge!

You may extend the shelf life of ripe papaya in the refrigerator by up to two or three days. Keep your ripe fruit fresh and flavorful with this easy procedure. Keep the papaya in the fridge as soon as you realize it has gone yellow. 

In fresh cut papaya, the more important quality attributes are texture and general appearance, whereas microbial growth does not appear to contribute to spoilage. During storage, the main losses occur due to texture loss and not due to vitamin loss. By the determination of shelf life of cut papayas in a study, the shelf life based on visual quality ended before significant losses of total ascorbic acid, b-carotene, and antioxidant capacity occurred (1).

Refrigerating papaya

Cut fruits may be stored in airtight containers. Keep the papaya in an airtight container and refrigerate it if you’d like to eat it later on in the day. You must remove the seeds from the chopped fruit before placing them in the container. Fresh-cut papaya does not suffer chilling injury when stored at 4 °C, therefore, it can be stored for 2 days in the refrigerator. A study compared papayas cutted in slices and in cubes stored in refrigeration temperatures and revealed that, when cut in slices, papayas were kept longer and had better attributes of texture and appearance then when cut in cubes (1).

Freezing papaya

Freezing your papaya is the greatest way to keep it fresh for a long period, although it may lose its texture totally and become light brown, due to the action of the enzyme polyphenoloxidase (1). The following is a step-by-step guide.

·         Remove the seeds by slicing papaya in half lengthwise then slice it in half again.

·         Cut the fruit into cubes that are about the same size.

·         Place the papaya cubes on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least an hour.

·         Squeeze as much air as possible out of the zip-top bag with the frozen cubes.

·         Even if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can still remove the air from the bag.

·         Put the bag in the freezer and seal it!

A huge perk of papaya is that it’s readily accessible throughout the year. Sun-kissed papayas have the power to brighten your day no matter how you consume them. If you want the most nutrients and the finest taste from your favorite fruit, then you need to start preserving it correctly.

Health benefits of papaya

When it comes to papaya, you’re in for a surprise! When it comes to staying active and healthy, papaya may make a significant contribution. Papaya is good for the heart, the digestive system, and everything in between. Here are some of the healthiest reasons to eat a piece of this exquisite fruit.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Papaya, which is high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants like Vitamins A and C, may help prevent heart disease in diabetics and atherosclerosis. Why is this so? The folic acid found in papayas is needed for the conversion of homocysteine into amino acids such as cysteine or methionine. If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls, and is considered a significant risk factor for a heart attack or stroke (3). 

Papayas are also high in fiber, which has been shown to decrease cholesterol. Because papaya not only supports cardiovascular health but also fulfills your sweet need, it is the ideal fruit for your heart.

In addition, papaya contains the proteolytic enzyme papain, which slows down the heart and thus reduces blood pressure (3).

The health of the Stomach

Papayas are good for your digestive system. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms may be alleviated by drinking a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of honey. These benefits of papaya for the stomach are due to papin. It is also used as anthelmintic, relieves dyspepsia, cures diarrhea, pain of burns and topical use, bleeding hemorrhoids, stomachic, whooping cough (3).

Effects on Inflammation

Asthma and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of inflammation. Fortunately, papayas are a delightful way to keep inflammation under control. Several protein-digesting enzymes are found in this fruit, which gives it anti-inflammatory qualities as well. In addition, papaya contains anti-inflammatory vitamins C and beta-carotene, both of which are abundant in the fruit (3).

Strengthened Defenses Against Infection

Do you often get the flu, a cold, or a virus? There’s a chance papaya might help you out! Adding papaya to your diet is a terrific method to strengthen your immune system and keep your body healthy and robust. Papaya contains vitamin C and folic acid, iron, carotene, flavonoids and other antioxidants. All these compounds act in maintaining health and preventing infections (3).

Other FAQs about Papaya that you may be interested in.

Can you eat green papaya?

How to know if papaya is spoiled

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “How to store cut papaya?” and will discuss different ways to store papaya.

References

1. Rivera-Lopez, J., et al. Cutting shape and storage temperature affect overall quality of fresh-cut papaya cv.’Maradol’. J food sci, 2005.
2. Bron, Ilana U., and Angelo P. Jacomino. Ripening and quality of’Golden’papaya fruit harvested at different maturity stages. Braz J Plant Physiol, 2006, 18, 389-396.
3. Yogiraj, Vijay, et al. Carica papaya Linn: an overview. Int j herb med, 2014, 2, 01-08.