WHY DO FRUITS CHANGE COLOUR WHEN THEY RIPEN?
Fruits change colour when they ripen mainly due to chemical changes involving pigments.
1. Pigment Transformation: Unripe fruits are usually green because of chlorophyll (the same pigment found in leaves). As the fruit ripens, chlorophyll breaks down
New pigments develop: Carotenoids – give yellow, orange, or red colours (like in bananas, mangoes, carrots). Anthocyanins – give red, purple, or blue colours (like in grapes, cherries, plums)
2. Purpose: Attracting Animals
The colour change is nature’s way of saying, “Hey, I’m ready!”
Bright, attractive colours signal ripeness to animals. Animals eat the fruit and help disperse the seeds, aiding the plant's reproduction.
3. Ethylene Gas: Fruits like bananas and apples produce ethylene, a natural gas that triggers ripening. Ethylene activates enzymes that break down chlorophyll and build up other pigments.
4. Softening and Sweetening along with the colour change: Starches convert into sugars (making the fruit sweeter). Enzymes break down cell walls (making it softer)
So, the colour change is both a chemical signal and an evolutionary strategy.
