There are two categories of fruits: those which stop ripening once picked and must be consumed quickly (such as red fruits, citrus fruits and grapes), and those which continue to ripen after picking. They are called “climacteric fruits”.
Climacteric fruits
How can we explain this phenomenon of maturation after picking? Among fruits, some such as apple, banana, avocado, tomato, kiwi or mango are climacteric. They therefore naturally release a gas, “ethylene”, which activates the enzymes necessary for a fruit to ripen. If there are tips to speed up this process (by enclosing them together in a paper bag for example or leaving them on a window sill), another particularly stands out: immersing them in rice.
Rice, to make the fruit ripen faster
This tip is generally reserved for ripening more quickly a fruit of very hard origin, such as mango, apple or avocado and only works with climacteric fruits. To explain the phenomenon, it's all a question of absorption. For good reason, rice (note that it must be used raw) in the same way that it absorbs water, notably being used to save a cell phone from drowning, absorbs ethylene. Who says “absorption” says “retention”. By soaking up the ethylene from the fruit covered with rice, the grains of the cereal retain it and prevent it from evaporating too much into the air. Eventually, the rice seals the fruit in its own ethylene, and it works! After a few hours to a day, the fruit will have “self-ripened”. We recommend that you immerse the fruit in a bowl or salad bowl of uncooked rice at the start of the day and check its condition over the hours. This way you will ensure that it does not become too soft and will probably have a fruit ready for dinner!
