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Judging Ripeness
Appears in
By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett
Published 2010
When evaluating fruits for quality, ripeness is also a consideration. Fruits purchased underripe may never properly ripen. However, in some cases it is necessary to purchase underripe fruits ahead of time and manage their ripening in-house. Either way, these three characteristics help determine whether a fruit is ripe:
- Strong aroma: Your very best clue as to whether a fruit has reached its optimal state of ripeness. A ripe fruit has a powerful and unmistakable scent that clearly says “apple” or “peach” or whatever the fruit may be. Always judge aroma at room temperature.
- Yielding texture: A signal of ripeness in many fruits. With the exception of fruits that are supposed to be hard and crisp (such as apples), fruits that are optimally ripe give when gently pressed, especially around the stem or stem scar. The amount of give determines the stage of ripeness.
- Color development: A sign of ripeness in some fruits but not in others. Refer to a produce buyer’s guide for the color development of individual fruits.