ABSTRACT
Feijoas are mature when slightly soft, and the jelly-like sections in the center are clear. They are unripe when the jellied sections are white (at which stage they are sourish or bitter) and overripe when the fruits are turning brown, at which time the §avor becomes unpleasant. It can be difcult to tell whether a fruit is ripe or not without rst cutting it open. The fruit is ripe when the §esh has the consistency of a ripe peach and can easily be scooped out with a spoon. The taste is sweet or subacid and has been compared with combinations of pineapple and guava, pineapple and strawberry, and quince, pineapple, and mint. To prevent bruising, the fruit should be handled gently, like ripe peaches. Before eating, the bitter skin should be peeled off. To prevent the §esh from turning brown, peeled fruit should be dipped in water containing fresh lemon juice (orange and pineapple juice may be substituted; a weak salt solution will also work, but unnecessary salt is undesirable). Ripe fruit may be stored in a refrigerator for a few days.
