Papaya Ripening Question

Someone writes:

I have a question about papaya, which I really love. The problem is that often when I have them on the counter waiting for them to ripen and become sweet, the skin becomes brownish and sunken, almost looking like it's going to get mold; and sometimes when I open it, it tastes a little weird because of this. How should I store them to keep them from getting this way and to ripen in a better way? Right now I have them on the counter.

Thanks,
Henrik

Henrik and other consumers might like to see what the Hawaiian Papaya Industry Association writes about buying and storing papayas. For one thing, I'd say if the papaya looks brownish and sunken, it's either over ripe or it's bad and should be exchanged at the store for a better one.

I have one concern about imported produce, and it's that we consumers don't know how produce is treated (fumigated? steam-treated? dipped in hot water? waxed with toxic chemicals?) before being allowed into the country, whatever country we might live in. The produce might not be technically raw, or organic--even if it says so), depending on how it's been treated.