时差N小时:当香蕉开始腐坏 When Good Bananas Go Bad

Those spots are a natural part of the ripeningprocess.

其实那些斑点是香蕉成熟过程中的自然组成部分。

You see, just like all fresh produce, your bananasare alive.

你知道，和所有的新鲜果蔬一样，香蕉是活的。

They're taking in oxygen to help them convertsugars into energy, and releasing carbon dioxide.

它们不断地吸收氧气来并把糖类转换成能量，释放出二氧化碳。

This process is called respiration.

这一过程称为呼吸作用。

The quicker a fruit or vegetablerespires, the quicker it ripens.

果蔬的呼吸作用越快，则成熟得越快。

For most fruits, the respiration rate slows down after the initial growth stage and the fruitripens slowly.

呼吸作用会在生长初期过后减弱，水果的成熟过程也会变慢。

The growth and ripening process of bananas, however, is different.

然而，香蕉的生长和成熟过程却并不是这样。

Although at first the banana's respiration slows down too, when it's ready to ripen, thebanana's pulp releases a chemical that increases respiration.

尽管一开始香蕉的呼吸作用也会减弱，但当它快要成熟时，香蕉的果肉会释放出一种化学物质促使呼吸作用增强。

This converts the starches in the banana to sugars and gives it its fabulous taste.

在这一过程中香蕉会把体内的淀粉转化成糖，从而变得美味无比。

With all this respiration, the banana eventually processes all the starches available.

正是这种呼吸作用使香蕉最终把所有的淀粉转化成糖。

And that's when it begins to die.

而这也是它开始变质的时候。