The quick, sneaky trick that makes papaya delicious (and less like smelly socks)

While some think the tropical fruit is just fine, others say it has an overpowering musky, sweaty-sock-like stench. In the second group? Here's how to fix it.

Papaya: do you love it or hate it? Source: Getty Images

Papaya – or pawpaw – is an unexpectedly divisive fruit.

The reason? The smell.

While some barely notice it, others find the musky, sweaty-sock-like stench overpowering.

Indeed, many people wonder if their piece of fruit has gone bad when it otherwise looks and feels perfectly ripe.

That’s a shame, because the Central American fruit is versatile and healthy

Relatively low in carbohydrates, papaya is high in vitamin C and a solid source of folate. It’s a staple of many Thai salads and used as a meat tenderizer in the Americas.

But still. The smell.

Well, there’s one amazingly simple quick fix – lime juice.

A sprinkling of lime juice over fresh cut papaya not only adds a welcome zest, but can completely eliminate the smell so many people find so off-putting.

You can use fresh cut lime, or save a small fortune and just squirt some out of a bottle.

For a Central American kick, try adding a sprinkling of lime zest, ancho chile powder and/or cayenne pepper.

Of course, green papaya and lime are well known to be happy partners in a classic green papaya salad - like this one for Luke Nguyen:

Get the recipe here.