What is the connection between ethylene gas and bacteria in rotten fruit?
Ethylene gas in biology, is known as a hormone. Hormones, as
they do in humans, cause growth. Producers of produce use a process
that they "gas blast" the fruit or veggies to have them mature
faster so they can go to resale faster. Produce that is exposed to
ethylene gas isn't as flavorful, but they do make a quick
alternative to slow ripening.
According to the infomercial I just saw, Ethylene gas causes
fruit to spoil faster...
It directly impacts the ripening process. Commercial
growers/shippers use the concentration of the gas (either keeep it
low to inhibit ripening, or increase it to increase ripening). many
fruits will release ethelene gas as they ripen, for example
bananas, and other fruit may react to it by ripening faster. fruit
that reactes to external ethelene gas are called climactric
fruit.
--This is not necessarily the whole truth. Ethylene gas does not
take away flavor, but actually adds flavor by breaking down starch
into sugar using the enzyme alpha-amylase. This is the reason why
produce markets use ethylene to ripen fruit when they arrive so the
fruit can obtain their flavor when they hit the shelves. If
ripening occurs naturally, fruits would sit on the shelf longer,
and in the business world that hurts the inventory turnover rate.
You're really going to listen to what an infomercial has to say?
Ethylene causes fruit to RIPEN faster, spoiling occurs at the end
of the ripening process.
..So, how is the food value of fruit that is 'gas blasted'
effected?