How does a banana ripen an avocado?Unlocking the secret conversation between your produce.

Science Around You

From the show

Science Around You

Discover the chemical communication that happens in your fruit bowl. As certain fruits mature, they release an invisible gas that tells their neighbors it's time to get sweet and soft. This is why placing a ripe fruit next to an unripe one in a paper bag is more than just a kitchen hack—it’s applied plant science. You're concentrating a gaseous hormone that gives the unripe fruit a chemical pep talk, accelerating the process of turning starches into sugars.

0:00
3:00