Gregory Morrow wrote:
> Steve Sqwertz cluelessly wrote:
> > Sheldon wrote:
> > > Peppers no longer continue to ripen once picked.
>
> > I guess that's why all my jalapeno and serrano peppers from the
> > grocery store turn from green to red at home after a few days.
>
> And you don't even have to put them in a bag to ripen, do you,
> Sqwirtz? That's because the BAG is on yer HEAD...as it is most of the
> time when you post.
>
> Read the subject header, the subject at hand is BELL peppers...next
> you'll be trying to interject snarky comments about ground black
> pepper, etc....

Even hot peppers don't ripen once picked. With some varieties if
picked when almost fully ripe they may ripen further some almost
imperceptible amount, but they will definitely rot before they ripen
noticably. Peppers are a fruit and ripening fruit means an increase
in sugar content, not a change in color... color change is an
indicator of ripeness ONLY while still on the plant. Peppers may turn
color while dehydrating but that is not ripening, that's oxidation...
if peppers are kept moist they will rot (rotting peppers change color
too). Some fruits continue to ripen after picking but peppers are not
one of those.

The color change sqwertz notices on his store bought is a combination
of rot and oxidation.. he has no idea how long ago those store bought
were picked. Once picked peppers should be consumed as soon as
possible, or otherwise preserved (pickled/dehydrated).

I grow bell pepeprs and hot peppers, especially lots of jalopenos...
no way a store bought is gonna taste anywhere as good as my freshly
picked home grown.... and I pick em at all different stages, from
nubile green crispy critters to saggy wrinkled old bag reds.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/p...024032752.html

Sheldon