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Old 21-05-2006, 10:33 PM posted to sci.bio.food-science,sci.chem,rec.gardens.edible
Jon Shemitz
 
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Default Why Do Ripe Fruits Smell Bad?

Radium wrote:

I am interested in what chemicals are responsible for the foul odors
emitted by ripe fruits. Ethylene [which smells sweet] and putresine
[smells like rotting flesh] are clearly not included in the list of
chemicals that cause ripe fruit to stink.

So what are some of the chemicals that cause the stench of ripe fruits.
Most fruits -- be them oranges, peaches, bananas, guavas, papayas,
mangoes, etc. -- have a very similar stench when ripe.


Well, you are exhibiting a very idiosyncratic reaction to ripe fruit.
Most people prefer ripe fruit to green fruit. (We're wired that way
for a reason - the tannins in green fruit don't agree with our
digestive tract.) It's entirely possible that your problem is simply
that you perceive ethylene differenty than everyone else does.

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