ABSTRACT
Papaya, also called pawpaw or melon tree, is a major dessert fruit crop in the tropics. Rich in carbohydrates, carotene, riboflavin, and vitamin C con tent, the fruit’s sweet-flavored pulp is eaten fresh. It is also processed for jam, jelly, candy, and juice preparations. Different plant parts, particularly of the unripe fruit, yield a milky latex that contain the proteolytic enzyme papain, which has many industrial and medicinal uses. Unripe fruits are also used for pickle preparation and cooked as vegetables.
