Papaya

A fast-growing tree crop, Carica papaya, native to southern Mexico and Central America, cultivated across the tropics and subtropics for its large, sweet orange-fleshed fruit. The unripe green fruit and latex of the plant contain papain, a proteolytic enzyme extracted commercially and used to tenderize meat and in some pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Papaya trees mature quickly, often fruiting within a year of planting, and are grown as an annual or short-lived perennial rather than a long-term orchard tree. India, Brazil and Mexico are among the largest producers, and the crop is also significant in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.