In nature, fruits undergo ripening through a series of irreversible physical and biochemical processes. At maturity, most fruits produce a gaseous compound called ethylene, which kick-starts the ripening process.
In fruits that are not fully mature, the level of ethylene is very low. At maturity, fruits begin to produce larger amounts of ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process. That stage of ripening is called climacteric. It is the reason why fruits ripen more quickly when you include a more ripe fruit among freshly harvested ones. Fruits like tomatoes, banana, plantain, mango, and pineapple are climacteric fruits. Grapes, strawberries, and avocados are non-climacteric. They must ripen as planted or they won’t ripen at all. As fruits ripen, they become soft, their colours change and they give off distinct smell and flavours.
These characteristics come with the increase in sugar level and reduction in acid content, due to the breakdown of complex sugars in the cell walls of the fruits. The distinct aromas and flavours are what attract animals and human beings to the fruits, causing them to be eaten, and thus aiding the dispersal of their seeds.
That is nature’s intent. The natural process of ripening on the plant or after harvest depends on temperature and relative humidity. That is why a covered fruit ripens faster. Climacteric fruits are the ones subject to chemical ripening through the use of carbide.
Many plantains are definitely ripened with artificial agents. These chemicals are toxic and capable of affecting the nervous system. Carbide is known to leave arsenic and phosphoric acid residues on fruits.
Arsenic is a dangerous poison. Apart from the dangers, these ripening agents change the taste and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables sold to us. They have been implicated in the increasing rate of kidney diseases, liver problems, cancer and skin issues. So we must be very wary of where we get our fruits from in order to avoid chemically ripened ones.