ABSTRACT
Banana ripening begins in the country of origin. A grower who is ignorant of the stages of the ripening process will not be successful in ripening aesthetically pleasing bananas with a good taste and shelf life. Once the banana stem is cut from the parent plant, the supply of nourishment is interrupted. This changes the chemistry of the fruit. An irreversible process begins as the starch converts into sugar. Unripe, green bananas contain 80% water and about 20% starch, vitamins and so on. Starch does not provide a pleasing taste for consumers who generally prefer sweet-tasting bananas. The ripening process is critical in converting the starch into sugar. Ripening is also important to produce bananas with an acceptable colour and a shelf life of at least four days.
