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The '''Papaya''' ''(Carica papaya)'' is an edible fruit of the [[citrus]] family, originally discovered in to southern [[Mexico]] and [[Central America]] and spread to the rest of world by the [[Spanish Conquistadors]]. It can now be found growing in every tropical and subtropical country.
There are two varieties of papayas, the [[Hawaiian]] and [[Mexican]]. The Hawaiian varieties are those most commonly found in supermarkets. The pear-shaped fruit weigh approximately 0.5kg, with a yellow skin when ripe. Depending on the variety, the flesh is either bright orange or pinkish, with a cluster of small black seeds in the center.
A fully ripe papaya is juicy, with a sweetish and somewhat musky taste, comparable to that of a musk melon. Both the fruit and leaves contains [[papain]], which assists digestion and is often used to tenderize meat. The edible seeds have a spicy flavor somewhat reminiscent of black pepper, and these seeds are often used, especially in India, as an adulterant for whole black pepper.
It is also commonly referred to as a Paw Paw (or pawpaw), or Tree Melon.<ref>Samson, J. A. Tropical Fruits. 2nd ed., Longman Scientific and Technical. (1986)</ref>
== References ==
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[[Category: Fruits]]