Why does fruit ripen perfectly in a brown paper bag?
According to MochaSofa, as fruit ripens it releases a natural hormone called ethylene. The paper bag traps this gas close to the fruit, thus ripening it more quickly, while still allowing some ventilation. But be careful — your peaches and pears can go from rock hard to mush in a few days if you don’t monitor them. To get a little more technical, ethylene triggers the creation of enzymes, which cause starches and acids to break down into sugar. They also break down cell walls, softening the fruit. Fruits ripen in order to kick-start a new growing cycle, by providing their seeds with nutrients. Certain fruits, apples in particular, produce a great deal of ethylene, so it’s important to store them separately from vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and leafy greens,
