Are papayas bitter?

Unripe papayas are bitter. The seeds of the papaya have a peppery taste and are also bitter. Papayas, their seeds and other parts of the tree contain papain, a bitter enzyme that helps digest proteins and is especially concentrated in unripe papayas.

Ripe papayas are sweet with a butter-like consistency. The pear-shaped or spherical fruit found in supermarkets is typically around 7 inches long, but some grow up to 20 inches.

The flesh of the papaya is a vibrant orange color accented by pink or yellow. The black seeds sit inside the inner cavity and are immersed in a substance similar to gelatin.