Avocados are a fruit with a rich taste and many health benefits. They don’t ripen on the tree but after being picked. The best way to quickly ripen an avocado is to leave it in a warm, room-temperature spot away from direct sunlight. However, sometimes you need a ripe avocado sooner than it would naturally be ready.
Fruit ripening is the last stage of fruit development, leading to numerous physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensory changes in the fruit. As the fruit ripens, it undergoes several noticeable changes. The texture softens, the color shifts to a more mature hue, and it develops a distinct aroma and flavor that is characteristic of ripe fruit. Additionally, the sourness of the fruit decreases, while its sweetness increases, making it more appealing and palatable.
Ethylene, a gaseous plant hormone, is crucial in regulating fruit ripening. It acts as an autocatalytic agent, meaning that a small amount of ethylene exposure can stimulate the fruit to produce more of its own ethylene. This triggers several changes within the fruit’s tissue matrix, including the breakdown of chlorophyll, the conversion of starches into sugars, the transformation of large organic compounds into smaller ones, and the alteration of pectin into less soluble forms.
Many fruit wholesalers use artificial ripening agents like calcium carbide, ethylene, ethephon, and smoke to speed up the ripening process. These chemicals not only accelerate ripening but also alter the nutritional quality of the fruits and can be harmful to human health. Thus, it is essential to educate fruit producers, traders, and consumers about the proper selection and use of fruit ripening methods.
Here are the 5 methods to quickly ripen an avocado:
The Brown Paper Bag Method
What You Need:
- A brown paper bag
- An apple or banana
Steps:
- Place the unripe avocado in the brown paper bag.
- Add an apple or banana to the bag. The ripening process is accelerated by the ethylene gas released by these fruits.
- Fold the bag closed and store it at room temperature.
- Check the avocado daily. It should ripen within 1-3 days.
How It Works
Using a piece of fruit, you can quickly ripen an avocado. Put an avocado, banana, apple, or kiwi in a paper bag, then fold the bag closed. The plant hormone that promotes the ripening quickly ripen an avocado, ethylene gas, is produced by these fruits. The gas is trapped inside the closed paper bag, hastening the ripening process.
Ethylene gas is a plant hormone that triggers and accelerates the ripening process in fruits. When ethylene-producing fruits like apples and bananas are placed with avocados in a confined space like a brown bag, the concentration of ethylene gas significantly increases. This surge in ethylene gas quickly ripens an avocado, ensuring a faster transition from unripe to perfectly ripe fruit. If a bit of trapped ethylene helps hasten the ripening process, additional gas from other ripening fruits might be even more beneficial. Adding an apple, banana, or kiwi inside the paper bag with the avocado can further reduce the ripening time.
Avocados are cherished for their creamy texture and rich flavor, but the wait for them to ripen can often be a test of patience. If you’ve ever found yourself with a hard avocado and a recipe that can’t wait, you’re in luck. Here are several tried-and-true methods to quickly ripen an avocado so you can enjoy its deliciousness without the wait.
RELATED: How can I increase avocado production?
The Oven Method
What You Need
- Aluminum foil
- An oven
Steps
- Set the oven temperature to 200°F, or 93°C.
- Tightly wrap the avocado with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the avocado, wrapped, to a baking sheet.
- Bake it for ten to fifteen minutes at high heat. The fruit will ripen more quickly thanks to the production of ethylene gas caused by the heat.
- Before opening the avocado, let it cool to room temperature.
How it Works
The warmth of the oven helps speed up the release of ethylene gas, making the avocado ripen faster. This method is ideal if you need a ripe avocado within a few hours.
The Microwave Method (Use with Caution)
What You Need
- A microwave
- A fork
Steps
- Poke the avocado with a fork to create small holes, allowing steam to escape.
- Microwave the avocado on medium heat for 30-second intervals.
- Check for ripeness between intervals. Repeat as needed but be cautious not to overcook.
How It Works
The key aspects of fruit ripening that are typically measured and influenced by heat treatments include fruit softening, changes in membrane and flavor, respiration rate, ethylene production, and the release of volatile compounds.
The Rice Method
What You Need
- A container
- Uncooked rice
Steps
- Fill a container with uncooked rice.
- Submerge the avocado in the rice, ensuring it’s fully covered.
- Leave the container at room temperature.
- Check the avocado daily. It should ripen within 1-3 days.
How it works
Similar to the brown paper bag method, the rice traps ethylene gas around the avocado, speeding up the ripening process. This method is also great for keeping the avocado at a consistent temperature.
Bury an Avocado in Flour
Avocados release ethylene gas, which is trapped in a brown paper bag and accelerates the ripening process by forming a mini oven. The avocado’s ripening process may be accelerated by burying it in flour, which holds the gas even closer. Although it takes enough flour to completely coat a medium- to large-sized avocado, this approach works well—the avocado ripens in approximately 2-3 days.
Lastly, you can stop waiting days for your avocado to ripen in time for your supper! These techniques offer simple and effective ways to ripen avocados so you may always have the ideal avocado for salad, guacamole, or toast. Don’t forget to frequently inspect the avocados to prevent overripening.
Once you put these simple methods into practice, you won’t have to deal with the aggravation of underripe avocados ever again. Comment below with your advice and insights; we’d love to hear from you!
