Papain (dried latex) is used in brewing, as a meat tenderiser, and in textiles, leather and medicines. Tap 75–90-day-old immature fruits early in the morning (finish before 10 a.m.) with four equally spaced cuts from stalk to tip, not deeper than 0.3 cm; repeat four times at 3-day intervals on fresh surfaces. Shade-dry or quickly dry the pooled latex at 50–55°C, sieve, powder, and pack airtight. Exposure to air lowers papain quality.
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Horticulture Crops 2020 (Directorate of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Papaya – Papain extraction, pp. 34–35
