How to Tell If a Papaya Is Bad. No tropical fruit tray or tropical drink is complete without fresh papaya. Papaya adds variety to fruit trays and is also ideal to use in salsas. Like all fruits, precaution must be taken when looking for a good papaya. Good papaya has a sweet scent when opened, as well as a sweet taste. Bad papaya smells fermented, feels mushy and has a less than desirable rotten taste.