What Is Ethylene?

• Ethylene is a gas that is emitted from some fruits and vegetables that encourages ripening.

• For example, you may have noticed some stores have plastic wrap on the stems of bananas. That’s because the ethylene is released from the stems and their shelf life will be increased by slowing the ripening process.

• Because ethylene is a gas that’s emitted, it can cause rapid ripening of other foods if they’re stored together with an ethylene-producing one.

• Some of the highest ethylene-producers are apples, avocados, bananas, peaches, kiwi, pears, and tomatoes.

• Some foods that are very sensitive to ethylene gas include asparagus, broccoli, cucumber, grapes, mangos, peppers, and squash.

• Be sure to avoid storing ethylene-producers with food that’re sensitive to the gas.

• Avoid storing ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables in bags or tightly sealed containers as the gas will get trapped and ripening will happen quickly.