This week, we have…

• Metazooa: Live recap

• A fun fact inspired by Metaflora

• Answers to last week's games

• Reader survey

Green peppers are just sweet peppers having an identity crisis

Have you ever wondered why green bell peppers taste more bitter and cost less than their colourful counterparts? The secret lies in timing: green peppers are simply unripe versions of the red, yellow, and orange sweet peppers we see in the produce aisle. Sweet peppers (Metaflora answer #623) undergo a fascinating transformation as they mature on the plant, changing not just their colour but their entire flavour profile.

When peppers first develop, they're green and contain higher levels of chlorophyll and bitter compounds. As they ripen, the chlorophyll breaks down and other pigments take over - carotenoids create the yellow and orange hues, while anthocyanins produce the deep reds and purples. This ripening process also converts starches to sugars, explaining why red peppers taste noticeably sweeter than their green predecessors.

The economic implications are significant for farmers. Green peppers can be harvested earlier, allowing for more crops per season and reducing the risk of loss from weather or pests. However, leaving peppers on the plant to fully ripen requires more time, water, and care, which is why colored peppers command higher prices at the grocery store.

Interestingly, not all pepper varieties follow this pattern. Some peppers, like certain jalapeños, are bred to be harvested green and never develop the sweet characteristics of bell peppers. The capsaicin that gives hot peppers their heat actually increases as they ripen, making red jalapeños spicier than green ones.

This colour-changing phenomenon isn't unique to peppers - many fruits and vegetables undergo similar transformations. Next time you're debating between green and red peppers at the store, remember you're essentially choosing between the teenage and adult versions of the same vegetable.

Learn more: Mississippi State University Extension Service, UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center, Lab Manager Magazine

Trivia

Answers to last week's games

Monday, June 9 to Sunday, June 15.

Linxicon

The following are the shortest paths from last week:

• #482 can → capable → competent → management → economy

• #483 nor → either → choice → money → pay

• #484 scream → lie → false → true

• #485 sun → cloudy → clear → through

• #486 moreover → plus → adding → sending → send

• #487 lifetime → life → environment → surround

• #488 relatively → relative → relation → connection → stream

• #489 Play now!

Elemingle

• #138 Moscovium

• #139 Barium

• #140 Tantalum

• #141 Radium

• #142 Meitnerium

• #143 Gallium

• #144 Lanthanum

• #145 Play now!

Forgeous

Play Forgeous for June 16