Kiwifruit, the little guy with green peel and yellow flesh, has won the love of many consumers with its unique taste and nutritional value.
However, while enjoying its delicious taste, have you ever been bothered by the "hard and soft problems" of kiwi?Why do some kiwi fruits not soften for a long time, while some are easy to spoil after they are soft?What's behind this?
To answer this question, we must first understand the ripening process of kiwifruit. When the kiwi is on the tree, its flesh is hard and has a sour taste.
After picking, the kiwi will gradually ripen over time, the flesh will soften, and the taste will sweeten. This is because the kiwifruit ripening process produces ethylene gas, which promotes the ripening of the fruit.
However, the crux of the matter is that the ripening process of kiwifruit is not linear. When the kiwifruit is overripe, the flesh will become too soft and even fermented.
At this time, a large amount of nutrients in the pulp will be lost, and the taste will become bitter. To make matters worse, overripe kiwifruit are more susceptible to mold infestation, leading to rot.
So, why do some kiwi not soften for a long time?This may be related to the time of harvest of the fruit, the temperature and humidity of the storage environment.
If kiwifruit is picked too early or stored in a too dry, cold environment, the ethylene gas inside may not be fully formed, making it difficult to ripen the fruit.
So, how do you make sure that the kiwi fruit is neither too soft nor too hard during the ripening process?The answer lies in controlling the storage environment. Proper temperature and humidity can promote the ripening of kiwifruit while avoiding overripeness and rotting.
Generally speaking, the suitable storage temperature is 1-5 and the humidity is 90%-95%. Under such conditions, kiwifruit can gradually ripen within a few days to weeks after picking.
In addition to this, there are some tips we can take to extend the storage life of kiwifruit.
For example, store kiwifruit with apples or bananas, as these fruits release ethylene gas that accelerates kiwifruit ripening. But be careful not to place the kiwi too close to these fruits to avoid overripening.
In short, behind the hardness and softness of kiwifruit is the mystery of the fruit ripening process. Only by mastering the right storage methods can we better enjoy this delicious and nutritious fruit.
The next time you open the fridge and see the rows of kiwifruit, you might as well pay more attention to how hard and soft they are, and maybe you will find that there is so much knowledge hidden in a small fruit.