Ripening agent

AGER

This substance helps fruits like bananas mature faster after harvest; it’s often used in commercial storage. Think of a short word related to aging or maturing.

"Ripening agent" hints at something that helps fruit or cheese mature, which is where "ager" comes in—it’s short for "aging agent." The wordplay is straightforward: "ager" sounds like "ager" in "ripening," and it’s also a suffix meaning one who causes aging (like in "cheese ager"). Think of it as the person or thing that speeds up the natural process of getting ripe or mature.