Post-Harvest Biochemical Changes Associated with the Softening Phenomenon in Capsicum Annuum Fruits

Priya Sethu, K. M. and Prabha, T. N. and Tharanathan, R. N. (1996) Post-Harvest Biochemical Changes Associated with the Softening Phenomenon in Capsicum Annuum Fruits. Phytochemistry, 42 (4). pp. 961-966.

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Abstract

Changes in the activities of various cell-wall hydrolases were followed during ripening of bell pepper (Capsicum annum). The activity of polygalacturonase (PG) increased, while that of pectin methyl esterase (PME) decreased. The texture of the fruit declined concomitantly with the increase in PG activity. The behaviour of the glycanases, namely cellulase, xylanase, mannanase, glucanase and galactanase, and glycosidases, like a-D- mannosidase and/3-D-galactosidase, were monitored. The influence of low storage temperature (8 °) on the enzyme activities was studied in which PG, PME, cellulase, mannosidase and galactosidase were suppressed to different levels. Sugar composition of the alcohol-insoluble carbohydrate residue was also analyzed during ripening. Galactose (10%) was the major sugar followed by arabinose (4.2%). The amount of the neutral sugar which was initially 25% decreased to 15% during ripening, resulting in a nearly 40% loss; the changes mainly involved reduction in galactosyl and arabinosyl residues.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae; fruits; bell pepper; biochemical changes; cell-wall hydrolases; alcohol-insoluble carbohydrates; neutral sugars.
Subjects:	600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 23 Vegetables
Divisions:	Plant Cell Biotechnology Dept. of Biochemistry
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	24 Sep 2007 10:13
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 09:30
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/1421

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