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Developmental and ripening‐related effects on the cell wall of apricot ( Prunus armeniaca ) fruit
Author(s) -
Femenia Antoni,
Sánchez Emma S,
Simal Susana,
Rosselló Carmen
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199808)77:4<487::aid-jsfa70>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - ripening , prunus armeniaca , chemistry , polysaccharide , pectin , arabinose , softening , prunus , uronic acid , cell wall , food science , galactose , biochemistry , botany , xylose , biology , cultivar , statistics , mathematics , fermentation
Alcohol‐insoluble residues (AIRs) were prepared from apricots at six stages during development/ripening on the tree. To investigate the changes in cell wall polymers, and in particular those affecting pectic polysaccharides, the AIR preparations were sequentially extracted with water, cyclohexane‐ trans ‐1,2‐diamine‐ N , N , N ′, N ′‐tetraacetate (CDTA) and Na 2 CO 3 . A significant proportion of initially Na 2 CO 3 ‐soluble pectic polysaccharides became water‐ and CDTA‐soluble during the ripening process. In terms of composition, a significant decrease in galactose and uronic acid content was detected in all the extractions, whereas the percentage of arabinose increased in both water and CDTA‐soluble polymers but decreased in the Na 2 CO 3 ‐extracted polysaccharides. The ability of pectic polysaccharides to cross‐link was diminished during ripening due to an overall increase in the concentration of Na + or K + associated with the AIRs. This was accompanied by a decrease in the amounts of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . The decrease in pectic galactans and the inhibition of pectin cross‐linking detected within the pectic backbone are probably linked to the softening process observed during apricot ripening. © 1998 SCI.