PAPAYA

Papaya Fruit

Papaya is called as Paw Paw, Papaw, Tree Melon normally greenish yellow, yellow or orange color. This kind of fruits comes from tropical places with higher humidity, native to Mexico, countries of Central America, Thailand, Africa and Asia and growing well in Australia.Papayas are a large, pear-shaped which are all high in vitamin A, C and folate.Due to the tropical appearance and abundant fruit of papaya, it is considered as the demand to protect the landscape settings throughout coastal and southern Texas. The latex is obtained by making a cut on the surface of green fruits early morning and repeating four to five days until latex ceases to flow. The latex contains two proteolytic enzymes, papain and chymo papain.

Types Of papaya

Kamiah Papaya

The kamiah papaya is one of the cultivars of papayas.This medium sized fruit contains orange flesh, thin rind, mild, delicate aroma, smooth texture, and high sugar content. This papaya is round in shape than m ost of other papayas ,because as it contains more flesh in it . The ripeness of this papaya does not depend on the color of the skin. This can be determined when the skin of this fruit yield to the pressure exerted by the finger. This kind of papaya is more resistant to viruses, cutting the costs of the farmers.

 Mexican Red

The Mexican red papaya is reddish to red-orange in color, and it is very sweet in nature. This papaya sweeter and larger than the Hawaiian variety. This type of plant will grow only in the sunlight, and also the tree requires a well drained soil. The fruit is quite elongated in shape. The ripeness of this papaya does not depend on the color of the skin. This can be predicted when the skin of this fruit yield to the pressure exerted by the finger.This fruit also contain much flush in it. A rose-fleshed papaya that is lighter in flavor than Mexican Yellow.

 Mexican Yellow

The Mexican yellow papaya is very similar in taste to the Mexican red papaya.It grows naturally just like the red papaya grows.Mexican yellow papaya is a ripened fruit, and when you press the fruit with your finger, it makes an impression. This kind of papaya is widely available in the United States. This kind of fruit also grows in sunlight with well drained soil. The flesh on the other hand is firmer to bite compared to the Mexican red.A very sweet and flavorful, yellow-fleshed papaya. This kind of fruit can grow up to 10 pounds but it is not as sweet as Hawaiian types.

Solo

The solo/Hawaiian was introduced in Hawaii from Barbados in the year 1911.This fruit is one of the most common varieties of papaya that are available in US.This type of fruit has a reddish orange tinge to the skin. This type of fruit is soft and an excellent quality in taste and texture. The Solo is the most common of all the papaya variety. This tree can either be bisexual or female with an average ratio of 2:1. Thistype of papaya is most commonly found within the tropical regions of the world. This type of papaya is pear shaped.This kind of fruit can weigh 1.1 to 2.2 pounds. This type of fruit does not produce any male plants. These are the least cold hardy Papayas. These kind of fruits can also grown in containers.

Kapoho Papaya

The kapoho papaya was made by horticulturists from the fruit called Solo papaya, that was introduced into Hawaii in 1911, developed by Hawaii's most common commercial cultiva. This is the most common variety found in American supermarkets due to its sweet, golden flesh. This kind of fruit fruit weighs moderately upto 1 1/2 lbs.

Sunrise and Sunset Papayas

The sunrise papaya fruit matures after 9 month after the transplantation and hence it is pear in shape. This kind of fruit grows an average of 22 to 26 ounces depending on the location.The skin of this fruit is smooth, flesh firm and reddish-orange in color. This kind of fruit is sweet containing high sugar content. Plant of this fruit grows at a height of about 3 feet. The sunset papaya also in the shape of small to medium-sized, pear-shaped fruit. The Sunset papaya is a slightly smaller variety similar to the Sunrise, but with firmer flesh.

Waimanalo

The skin of the waimanalo fruit is smooth,glossy and the fruit is in cavity star-shaped. The flesh of this fruit is thick, firm, with orange-yellow in color pretaining high quality with good flavour. This fruit can grow up to an height of 32 inches. Waimanalo has tolerance to some diseases and fungus. It performs well in high moisture areas.This variety is sold in local Hawaii market and is very popular. The seeds of this kind produce a gender ratio of 66% of hermaphrodite and 33% of female variety.

Vista Solo

This kind of fruit is Flesh yeloow-orange colored .This kind of fruit ranges medium to large depending up on the climate.It can grow 5 inches wide, up to 18 inches long.This fruit is hard and high in quality.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe fruit is also called as mushmelon, muskmelon, cantalope, rockmelon or spanspek which all together refers a variety of Cucumis melo, comes under the family Cucurbitaceae which includes nearly all melons and squashes.

Fresh cut fruit products which may contain cantaloupe from the Honduran grower Agropecuaria Montelibano, which has been identified by the FDA to have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Fresh Foods had previously begun to recover this product, based on a notice published.

Cantaloupe has a rough rind and its surface may easily be contaminated in the field by soil, unclean irrigation water, animal droppings or unclean water during post-harvest wash. Therefore, it is important to scrub the cantaloupe with a clean brush (used only for produce) under running water before cutting in order to prevent Salmonella from contaminating the flesh.

Use clean cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting this fruit. Wash cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood and slicing cantaloupe. If cantaloupe skin is bruised or damaged, cut away these parts before eating. Leftover cut cantaloupe should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours. Use a cooler with ice or use ice gel packs when transporting or storing cantaloupes outdoors.

Cantaloupe and other melons are tasty and nutritious, and we don't want people to stop eating them, Keene said. The most important advice for consumers is to promptly refrigerate or eat cut melons.

How to buy fresh Cantaloupe?

Cantaloupe, generally available from May through September, are produced principally in California, Arizona, and Texas. Some are also imported early in the season.

Purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly. Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes. Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents.

Look for: There are three major signs of full maturity. First, the stem should be gone, leaving a smooth symmetrical, shallow base called a “full slip.” If all or part of the stem base remains, or if the stem scar is jagged or torn, the melon is probably not fully matured. Second, the netting, or veining, should be thick, coarse, and corky, and should stand out in bold relief over some part of the surface. Third, the skin color (ground color) between the netting should have changed from green to yellowish-buff, yellowishgray, or pale yellow.

Signs of ripeness: A cantaloupe might be mature, but not ripe. A ripe cantaloupe will have a yellowish cast to the rind, have a pleasant cantaloupe aroma, and yield slightly to light thumb pressure on the blossom end of the melon. Most cantaloupe are quite firm when freshly displayed in retail stores. While some may be ripe, most have not yet reached their best eating stage. Hold them for 2 to 4 days at room temperature to allow completion of ripening. After conditioning the melons, some people like to place them in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

Avoid: Overripeness is indicated by a pronounced yellow rind color, a softening over the entire rind, and soft, watery, and insipid flesh. Small bruises normally will not hurt the fruit, but large bruised areas should be avoided, since they generally cause soft, watersoaked areas underneath the rind. Mold growth on the cantaloupe (particularly in the stem scar, or if the tissue under the mold is soft and wet) is a sign of decay.