What causes the yellow color present in the skin of a lemon?
Question #130422. Asked by austinnene.
Jennifer5
Answer has 4 votes
Jennifer5 17 year member
119 replies
Answer has 4 votes.
Lemons turn yellow as they ripen; however, if the lemons turn yellow before ripening and the foliage of the tree also turns yellow this may be indicative of disease:
looney_tunes Moderator 20 year member
3346 replies
Answer has 7 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
Lemons are green initially due the presence of chlorophyll pigment in their skin. Gradually they turn yellow as they mature. This is due to the production of xanthophyll and carotene pigments in the lemon skin.