Why do the people smell fruits before they buy them ?

[DavideMexia]

Why do the people smell fruits in the supermarkets, before they buy them ? To make sure an apple is an apple ? I have just seen a lady passing by and was smelling a banana . Probabily she wanted to make sure that the banana was not an apple ?

[boxtops]

Some fruit smells different when it's ripe - I wouldn't have said a banana does, though!

[lilacben]

To tell it is ripe or not. Like with pineapples.

[sara3]

the only fruit I smell is strawberries.. in a punnet!

[Quassia]

All part of the sensual experience, we like to see the product, to touch & smell it. I must admit though, I usually just pick fruit up!

[askyourgran]

Overripe bananas smell awful. I think this is a newfangled fad from these cookery programmes, showing off.

[cully]

I always do it since our local fruiterer told me you can smell a piece of fruit which is starting to go off which otherwise looks just fine. I've found it works with the tangerines at my supermarket....

[sometimesit]

Some people seem to enjoy just interacting with stuff in shops. I like to observe them sometimes like Christmas they seem to be judging a show to award a prize to the best one. Bananas Cucumbers Tomatoes Grapes Apples Potatoes all the citrus fruits all come in for the treatment.
I think it is just how they are and everybody has critiria for selecting their fruit and veg. Me its usually if I will eat it - price - how long it will keep.

Bread (not REAL bread, the stuff that cames in bags) some people can't buy without feeling how soft and doughy it is.

[tamborine]

its done with mangoes; if they're over ripe they smell sour

[tamborine]

tomatoes HAVE to smell to get the full flavour

[sara3]

http://www.theanswerb...e/Question793140.html

you said this a couple of years ago, leviathan1, and no one agreed with you then.

[Cowtipper]

It lets me smell mold and bad storage (like left next to the onions).

[cazzz1975]

quite often in a supermarket they freeze a lot of the fruit to prolong the life then after a few days defrost it and bring it out to the shopfloor.