system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How do fruits ripen even though they are no longer part of the tree/plant?
gpt
Ripening is actually a decaying process. The starches in the fruit break down over time into sugars. Thus when unripe, a fruit is generally tough and not very sweet compared to its ripened state. And if left out too long, the fruit eventually gets very soft and mushy as the process continues.