If your papaya is not yet ripe, you may try putting it in a brown paper bag on a room temperature kitchen shelf, next to bananas. [3] X Research source This tends to quicken the ripening process by a day or two. If the fragrance is overpowering and/or the skin is too soft, the papaya is overripe, and you should discard it.
Even though you won’t be eating the skin, it’s still a good idea to rinse it, in order to prevent rubbing dirt and pesticides onto the inner fruit. Some people suggest rinsing fruits in a salt or vinegar solution. [5] X Research source While studies have shown this to be an effective method of cleaning of pesticides, it also increases the risk of affecting fruits’ taste.
Repeat this process around the papaya until all of the skin is peeled off.
