History
Papaya has been grown in tropical regions of the world for as along as history has been recorded. This tropical fruit is believed to have come from southern Mexico and Central America. It is now present in every tropical and subtropical country.
Facts
There are two types of papayas, Hawaiian and Mexican. The Hawaiian varieties are the ones commonly found in the supermarkets. Hawaiian varieties are pear-shaped and generally weigh about one pound with the plant seldom growing taller than 8 feet. The Mexican variety are much larger and may weigh up to 10 pounds and be more than 15 inches long.
Papayas have precise climate requirements for vigorous growth and fruit production. They must have warmth throughout the year and will be damaged by light frosts. Even brief exposure to 32° F is damaging. They like to be warm with both sunshine and reflected heat and like to be as free from wind as possible.
Papayas are ready to harvest when most of the skin is yellow-green. After several days of ripening as room temperature, they will be almost fully yellow and slightly soft to the touch. Dark green fruit will not ripen properly off the tree, even though it may turn yellow outside. Mature fruit can be stored at 45° F for about 3 weeks.
Papayas contain a digestive enzyme that is used to tenderize meat. Papain is extracted from the papaya skin and used in the meat industry as a tenderizer. The greener the fruit is the more active the papain.
At home papayas are good to eat alone or mixed with other fruits. They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium. They also contain small amounts of calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. When buying a papaya choose one with a rich colored skin that gives slightly when touched. Slightly green papayas will ripen quickly at room temperature. Refrigerate completely ripe fruit as soon as possible.