ethylene gas
Fruit maturation hormone
Ethylene gas is a colorless hydrocarbon that occurs naturally in plants, where it regulates ripening and aging.
Commercially, it's used to ripen fruit after shipping: The bananas are exposed to ethylene gas before reaching stores.
It's also a major industrial chemical, used to make plastics, antifreeze, and other products.
The term is slightly redundant since ethylene is already a gas at room temperature.
- ripeningBecoming ready to eat
- ripe bananaMature tropical fruit
- fruitEdible plant ovary
- bananaCurved tropical fruit
- hormoneBody's chemical messenger
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ethylene gaspreservative
Agent preventing spoilage
food preservative · antioxidant · vacuum sealing · cryopreservation
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