How can some fruits continue to ripen after harvesting?

The fruit development process consists of different steps. During the growth stage, there may be a 100-fold increase in the mass and volume of the fruit tissue. The ripening process that makes the fruit edible starts after the fruit reaches its maximum size and physiologically ripens. During ripening, changes occur in the texture, smell, taste and the amount of sugar in the fruit. In this process, the cell wall breaks down, carbohydrates stored as starch turn into simpler and water-soluble sugar types (such as fructose).

According to the changes in the ripening process of fruits, the fruits are divided into two groups as they continue to ripen (climacteric) after picking and do not continue to ripen after picking (non-climacteric).

Respiratory rate is high in physiologically mature fruits and the respiratory rate decreases gradually as the tissue begins to age. Respiration provides the conversion of complex molecules in fruits that reach physiological maturity into simpler molecules and to produce the energy required for the biochemical reactions that take place in this process.

In non-climacteric fruits (eg grapes, strawberries), after breakage, the respiratory rate decreases and ripening stops. In the process of ripening climacteric fruits (eg bananas, apples), the ethylene hormone is effective. Such fruits have a sudden increase in ethylene level and respiratory rate during the ripening process, this process can continue after the fruit is broken. Because fruit is still metabolically active, although it cannot provide water and nutrients from the mother plant. For this reason, after the fruit is broken, respiration and ripening continue.