SELECTING FRUITS

Apples

wApples should be smooth, firm, unbroken surfaces free of bruises and blemishes. Some apples may have a brownish freckled surface on the skin, usually caused by the weather condition, but flavor is unaffected.

wTo keep your apples crisp, store refrigerated, in a plastic bag (to retain moisture).

wTo determine ripeness of good apples in order to pick them from the tree, the following indices of maturity are known:

vDays from full bloom. This is actually relatively constant from year-to-year in the stable climates, but not as good where the climate can vary greatly from year to year. Some cultivars mature in as little as could be 100 days, where others could take 180-210 days.
vFlesh firmness. Apples are often softening as they mature, so the force which could results in flesh yielding is a worthy criterion for the ripeness (pressure tester).
vStarch test. Starch is broken down into the sugars during ripening, and it’s a quick iodine stain test on a half-cut apple could be used to indicate how far along this process has occurred. Fruits are often used on stored apples, to assess remaining shelf-life.

Apricots

wChoose an apricot that have a beautiful blush and which are firm in texture. Apricots are orange-yellow when ripe. If you wish to ripen immature apricots, then keep them in a brown paper bag. Keep them at room temperature until they are quite slightly soft.

wStorage: one week, refrigerated.

wTo determine ripeness of the costs in order to pick them from particular tree, the following indices of maturity are known:

vFirmness is a very good reliable indicator, as for plums. Apricots for a fresh consumption are picked the firm-mature, since they are far too soft for the shipping if allowed to approach ripening on tree. It is said that proper flavor never get develops in fruit picked prior to physiological maturity.
vDays from full bloom are a fairly reliable index given in the relatively invariable growing conditions.

Peaches

wIf you are buying peaches look for ones with a very creamy to gold under color that indicates ripeness. The amount of red on peaches depends on the variety; it is not always a sign on ripeness. Find fruits that have had a well-defined crease and a good fragrance. Peaches with the green under color are not ripe and will not ripen because peaches and the nectarines only ripen well on the tree. Peaches are normally ripe when they give to gentle palm pressure. Green coloring also indicates immaturity. Shriveling at the stem end or the excessive softening are indications of overripe peaches.

wYou can keep your peaches and nectarines for one to three days but you have to be quite careful, one small bruise and it will go bad on that spot.

w To determine ripeness of peaches and nectarines in order to pick them from the tree, the following indices of maturity are known:

vThe best way for peach today is ground color; red color is actually functioning of cultivar and light exposure and therefore not a good index. Color "chips" was developed at Clemson University, which are always in standard colors painted onto cards, used to train harvesters. Ground color of fruit could changes from green to straw-yellow during ripening, and fruit that match color chip 3 (out of 6) are the mature enough for harvest. Fruit picked too early (chip 2) never develop full flavor and also texture, and may develop a condition called woolly texture or woolliness, characterized by mealy texture, and the absence of juice or flavor.
v Firmness and days from bloom could also be used to estimate maturity.

Pears

wTo look for ripeness press gently near the stem end. If it yields slightly, it's ripe.

wPears are one of unique kinds of fruits that actually ripen best off of the tree. If allowed to ripen before they are harvested, ripen the fresh pears that you could purchase put them in a fruit bowl or paper bag at room temperature. Not all pears will turn yellow as they ripen. Aside from Bartlett’s, which turn from green to bright yellow, or Red Bartlett’s that change to a bright crimson color, most pears show little or no change in color as they ripen.

wTo determine ripeness of good pears in order to pick them from the tree, the following indices of maturity are known:

vEuropean pears are mostly harvested when "firm mature", stored immediately, and then allow them to ripen for several days prior to fresh consumption. When it is fully ripe, European pears have the typical "melting" flesh texture, and are full development of flavor. Asian pears however, are similar to apples, and are harvested closer to the physiological ripeness, and placed in cold storage. Flesh firmness is always single most reliable indicator of pear maturity. Firmness in the range of 10-15 lbs as measured by a pressure tester is desirable for most cultivars. This is very often combined with days from full bloom or degree days for the greater accuracy. In lieu of the pressure tester, one could observe when fruit lenticels turn from white to the brown, and when skin color begins to lighten; at this stage, pears can be picked up without shriveling.

Plums

w Look for plums which have a beautiful blush and are firm in texture.

w Storage: Plums have similar storage characteristics and the problems as peaches, cherries, and apricots. They can be stored for about 2-3 weeks at 32 F and 90% RH.

Bananas

w A banana must be complete yellow when ripe. A banana with a lot of brown spots tastes better than a yellow banana also with a green top. Bananas are brown when overripe and also green when not ripe.

w Put bananas in a fruit bowl in the sun to ripen quickly.

Cantaloupes & Honeydews

w The ripeness of cantaloupes and honeydews can be determined in four ways:

v The best thing you could do is smell. It doesn't apply for watermelons. Watermelons are described below. As for cantaloupe: don't look, don't touch, all you need to do is just to smell. Ripe cantaloupe smells very sweet and nice. Sniffing out is a good aromatic one is the smartest way to pick a cantaloupe or honeydew.
v Thump test: hold your dominant hand as if ready to knock on your door. Deliver in two or three good thumps to the round side of the melon. Its sound should be deep and thick, indicating a dense, full fruit. A higher hollow sound could mean in ripeness.
v If honeydew is beige-skinned with the distinct green veins it's probably not ripe yet. If it has a pale yellow color with bright, lemon-colored areas you could probably have found a good one.
vRipe cantaloupes rattle only occasionally, so it's an unreliable indicator.

w To determine ripeness of cantaloupes and honeydews in order to pick them from the plant, the following indices of maturity are known:

v Grasp it firmly, give a tug and twist it. If it falls easily off the vine into your hand, it's actually ripe.

Oranges

w Oranges color orange under the cold temperatures. In the tropics the fruit keeps in a green to green with yellow stains color. Choose oranges that are firm and heavy in size. Blood Oranges may have a full-colored blush or may have no blush at all. Avoid blemishes and shriveled or moldy spots. For the juiciest, sweetest fruit, look for oranges with a sweet and clean fragrance. You could store oranges at cool room temperature for one of week or for two weeks in the refrigerator

w To determine ripeness of oranges and all the other citrus fruit in order to pick them from a direct tree, the following indices of maturity are known:

v The best indices of maturity for citrus are Brix, acid content, and also the Brix/acid ratio. External color is the function of climate more than ripeness, and is a poor indicator on maturity. Legal maturity standards are actually enforced in major citrus regions.

Tangerines

w Some of the best tangerines could easily be selected in the store because they have a strong and very sweet smell. If you find such tangerines you could buy them, you will not be disappointed

Watermelons

w Unlike other melon-types watermelon can't be chosen from its smell. The only way to pick a ripe watermelon at your store is to do the flat hand test: Tap the melon with flat hand. If the sound is deep and thick you probably have found a ripe and sweet fruit.