How Long Do Papayas Last in the Freezer?: Papaya is a tropical fruit with orange-colored, sweet flesh and edible seeds that have a pepper-like flavor. Do you love eating raw papaya fruit or making recipes with it? Well, this fruit has many health benefits. If you bought one or 2 from the store, then you may think that how long does papaya last and how to store it safely.
This tropical fruit is available any time of the year. Here we are giving papaya shelf life, can papaya go bad, how to tell if papaya is ripe, and other signs of spoilage details.
- How Long Do Papayas Last?
- Can You Freeze Papayas?
- How To Tell If Your Papaya Is Ripe?
- Does Papaya Go Bad?
- How To Tell If Your Papaya Has Gone Bad?
- How To Store Papayas?
- Fun Facts About Papayas
- What is the shelf life of papaya?
- Is it OK to eat overripe papaya?
- How long does cut papaya last?
- How do you know when papaya is bad?
How Long Do Papayas Last?
On average, papaya fruit will last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. While unripe papaya fruit will stay good for 7 days. Actually, green and firm papaya will take a much longer time than one which starts to go yellow.
At the time fruit is ripening, it should be placed at room temperature. Once it is ripe, place it in the fridge which slows down the ripening process. If you leave the ripened papaya at room temperature, then it will go overripe within 2 to 3 days.
The fresh papaya maintains its quality and taste for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. The sliced papaya pieces should be placed in an airtight container and keep in the fridge to retain quality for about 3 to 4 days.
| Product | Room Temperature | Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|
| Unripe Papaya | Seven days until ripe | Five days |
| Ripe Papaya | 2-3 days | 5 – 7 days |
| Cut Papaya | Less than 3 hours | 2,3 days |
Can You Freeze Papayas?
Papaya is not a kind of fruit for freezing. It will become soft and watery after thawing. So you can use frozen papaya only to make smoothies, milkshakes or other delicious recipes. It is recommended to freeze the ripened papaya because unripe fruit will never ripe after thawing. Here we are giving the steps to freeze fresh and ripen papaya fruit.
- Peel the papaya skin, remove seeds from it and cut the remaining into small pieces or cubes.
- Lay the pieces on a sheet in a single layer so that they won’t touch. Place the sheet in the freezer until the slices freeze solid. It prevents the slices to stick after defrosting.
- Transfer the frozen papaya into an airtight container or freezer bag and place it in the freezer.
You can take the scoop of the fruit from the freezer and place it in the fridge the whole night and use it whenever you want. But the frozen papaya tastes different from the fresh one.
How To Tell If Your Papaya Is Ripe?
You can easily tell that your papaya is ripe and ready to eat by checking the following things:
- Color: Papaya which is green color indicates that it is unripe. When green turns to yellow or orange means it is ripe.
- Feel: If the papaya is firm means it is unripe. If you press the fruit with your finger, then it is squeezed, and then it is ready to consume.
If you want to speed up the ripening process of green papayas, then you have to do 2 things. Firstly, place the fruit in a sealed paper bag. The second is to insert ethylene-producing fruit in the bag such as apple or banana.
Does Papaya Go Bad?
Yes, papaya will go bad. You can extend the papaya shelf life by storing it correctly. This delicious and healthy fruit can quickly go bad if you leave it at room temperature. The unripe papaya will last for 7 days in the pantry.
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How To Tell If Your Papaya Has Gone Bad?
Every time you are eating a fruit, it is mandatory to check whether it is spoiled or good. The signs of spoilage are the same for all kinds of fruit. Here are the ways to check if papaya has gone spoiled.
- Smell: Check the smell of the papaya. If you notice any unpleasant or fermented smell, then discard the fruit.
- Off Taste: Take a small piece of the fruit and taste it. If it tastes bitter or off-taste, then throw it outside.
- Dark Spots: Few small spots on the surface of the papaya are okay, but if it spreads all over the skin, then they should not be consumed.
- Mold: If you are able to identify mold or bacteria growth on the papaya fruit, then it is not safe to eat this fruit.
How To Store Papayas?
Have you bought a couple of papayas from the supermarket? Here are the simple ways to store it properly to increase its shelf life.
If you leave the raw, green papaya at room temperature, then it will turn into yellow, and orange within 7 days. So, when you don’t want to eat your fruit immediately, then it is best to buy unripe fruit.
You can make the papaya to ripe rapidly by packing it in clean paper. Another way is to store the banana or apple with the green papaya to fastly change its color.
Once the papaya is ripe, it is always best to store it in the fridge to retain its quality for up to 5 days. At room temperature, it will stay fine for 2 days.
Fun Facts About Papayas
The papaya fruit facts are listed here:
- Papaya is also called papaw or pawpaw, the fruit of carica papaya tree.
- There are 2 types of papayas, Hawaiian and Mexican.
- Papaya is botanically a berry. It may look like it grows from a tree, but is the fruit of a herb.
- Women in different countries use papaya as a folk remedy for contraception and abortion.
- The major commercial papaya producers are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico.
FAQs on Can Papayas Go Bad
1. What is the shelf life of papaya?
The shelf life of ripe papaya at room temperature is about 2 to 3 days and 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
2. Is it OK to eat overripe papaya?
Overripe papayas are best to prepare fruit soups, sauces, smoothies, or drinks, and yogurt. Few people also love to eat overripe papaya. It is ok to eat overripe papaya without signs of spoilage.
3. How long does cut papaya last?
The cut papaya lasts for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
4. How do you know when papaya is bad?
The top signs to tell that papaya is beed are dark spots, mold, sunken outer skin, bitter taste or rotten smell.
In a Nutshell
Hope that you have satisfied with the information that was provided by our team on How Long Do Papaya Last? Storing in the fridge will really increase its life span. Bookmark our site to know the shelf of other fruits and food items.