Fruit ripening is the physiological repercussion of a very complex and interrelated biochemical
changes that occur in the fruits. Ripening is the ultimate stage of the development of the fruit, which entails the development of ideal organoleptic characters such as taste,
color, and aroma that are important features of attraction for the vectors (animals, birds,
etc.) responsible for the dispersal of the fruit, and thus the seeds, in the ecosystem. Human
beings have developed an agronomic system of cultivation, harvest, and storage of fruits
with ideal food qualities. In most cases, the ripening process is very fast, and the fruits
undergo senescence resulting in the loss of desirable qualities. An understanding of the
biochemistry and molecular biology of the fruit ripening process has resulted in developing
biotechnological strategies for the preservation of postharvest shelf life and quality of
fruits