when is papaya ripe

A papaya is ripe when its skin is mostly yellow or orange with a bit of green remaining, especially near the stem. The fruit should give slightly to a gentle squeeze, indicating it is soft but not mushy. The ideal stage for eating is when the papaya is about 3/4 golden orange with some green on the stem end. It also tends to have a sweet fragrance when ripe. If the papaya is picked greener, it can be left at room temperature to ripen, often taking 3-4 days, and placing it in a paper bag with a banana or apple can speed this process by releasing ethylene gas. Once ripe, papayas can be refrigerated to slow further ripening and maintain optimal texture for up to about ten days.