Abstract: A method of handling fruit at ambient temperature is provided using bagging and cooling for prolonged storage and ripening of fruit. The type of fruit that is contemplated with respect to the method is a fruit having an internal fruit seed. The method begins by enclosing the fruit within a plastic packaging material to produce an enclosed fruit. The method continues with the enclosed fruit being exposed to an air flow. The enclosed fruit is exposed to the air flow until the internal fruit cools to a first cool temperature. The fruit is transferred from a surrounding environment at an ambient temperature to a surrounding environment which allows the internal fruit seed to cool to the first cool temperature. The internal fruit seed cools from the ambient temperature to the first cool temperature within a cool-down period. The method may conclude with the fruit being maintained at the first cool temperature of the internal fruit seed for a storage period.