 Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: Are papayas nutritious?
A: Yes. Papayas are one of the most nutritious fruits available. Papayas
are rich in enzymes that help with digestion and are a good source of calcium, potassium
and Vitamins A, E and C. A single 200g serving provides almost twice the recommended
daily allowance of Vitamin C. Go toPapaya Info for more
information.
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Q: Where can I get Hawaii grown papayas?
A: Hawaii grown papayas are distributed across the U.S., Canada, Japan,
and Germany. Today papayas can be found all year long with the peak season being early
summer and fall.
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Q: What does the Hawaii papaya look like?
A: There are two basic types of papayas, the Hawaii papaya varieties and
the Mexican variety. The Hawaii varieties are more pear-shaped, weigh about one pound
each, and have a yellow skin when ripe. The flesh is golden yellow or red-orange,
depending on the variety. The Mexican variety is much larger (weigh up to 20 pounds and
be more than 15 inches long) with flesh that is reddish, and the flavor is less intense
than the Hawaii types.
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Q: How do I select a papaya?
A: Look for papayas that are partly or completely yellow in color
depending on the variety, that give slightly to pressure, but are not soft at the
stem-end. Avoid papayas that are bruised, shriveled, or have soft areas. Papayas that
are hard and green are immature and will not ripen properly. Uncut papayas have no
smell. Papayas that are cut should smell sweet, not bad or fermented. Go toPapaya Info for more information.
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Q: How do I store the papaya before eating it?
A: Slightly green papayas will ripen quickly at room temperature,
especially if placed in a paper bag. As the papaya ripens, it will turn from green to
yellow. Place ripe papayas in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Papayas will
keep for up to a week, but it is best to eat them within a day or two.
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Q: How do I eat the papaya?
A: Papayas are usually eaten fresh as is or with a squeeze of fresh lime
juice. After washing the papaya, cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then eat it
with a spoon. They can also be made into a hot and spicy salsa; blended with fat free
milk, yogurt, or orange juice into a nutritious breakfast smoothie; pureed into a
delicious salad dressing or sauce, mixed with other fruits for colorful fruit salad, or
used as the base for ice cream or sorbet. Go toPapaya Info
for some great recipes.
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Q: What is Rainbow papaya?
A: Rainbow papaya is an F-1 hybrid variety of papaya produced by crossing
Hawaii’s standard yellow-flesh export variety, Kapoho Solo with the red-flesh SunUp, the
first genetically engineered papaya with resistance to papaya ringspot virus. Go to
Papaya Info for The Rainbow Papaya Story and related FAQs.
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