State Of Ripeness Research Articles

Use of the APIZYM Testing System to Assess the State of Ripeness of Banana Fruit

ABSTRACTThe APIZYM activity profiles of untreated fruit ripening at 20°C and 85% RH were compared with those from fruits treated with Pro‐long, a fruit coating material, and fruit stored under controlled atmosphere conditions (5% O2, 95% N2) at the same temperature and RH. Banana fruits coated with Pro‐long or stored under CA conditions ripened more slowly than untreated fruits, and this was reflected in lower activity of some enzymes during the storage period in coated and CA‐stored fruit. Reduced activity in these treatments was more noticeable at day 4 of storage than day 7; however, even at day 7, the activity of certain enzymes was still lower than in controls.

Digestion of the carbohydrates of banana (Musa paradisiaca sapientum) in the human small intestine

The digestion and absorption from the small bowel of the carbohydrate of banana has been studied by feeding ileostomy subjects banana from six batches of different ripeness and measuring the amounts excreted in the effluent. Starch content of bananas depended on the ripeness being 37% of dry weight in the least ripe and 3% in the most ripe. Excretion of carbohydrate from banana in ileostomy effluent ranged from 4–19 g/day and was directly related to the starch content (r = 0.99). Up to 90% of the starch could be accounted for in the effluent. Complete recovery of nonstarch polysaccharides [NSP (dietary fiber)] was obtained. The amount of banana starch not hydrolyzed and absorbed from the human small intestine and therefore passing into the colon may be up to 8 times more than the NSP present in this food and depends on the state of ripeness when the fruit is eaten.

The reproductive biology of the deep-sea asteroids Benthopecten simplex (Perrier), Pectinaster filholi Perrier, and Pontaster tenuispinus Düben & Koren (phanerozonia : benthopectinidae) from the rockall trough

Samples of three species of benthopectinid starfish were collected in a time-series from stations in the northern Rockall Trough. A detailed study was made of the reproductive biology of Benthopecten simplex (Perrier) from a fixed station at 2200 m. Studies of the gametogenic cycles of Pectinaster fllholi Perrier and Pontaster tenuispinus Düben & Koren from less regular and more scattered samplings are also presented. The oogenic cycles of the three species are similar. Growing oocytes line the ovary wall and come to lie in the lumen only when well developed. Accessory cells surrounding young oocytes become more numerous as the oocytes develop. Vitellogenesis begins when oocyte diameter reaches ≈ 250–300 μm and oocytes attain a maximum diameter of 950 μm in Benthopecten simplex, 850 μm in Pectinaster filholi, and 800 μm in Pontaster tenuispinus. Unspent oocytes are broken down by phagocytes and degenerate ovaries become filled with the breakdown products. Internal degeneration of large oocytes is not common. Size frequency data show a dominance of previtellogenic oocytes and a pattern of continuous growth of vitellogenic oocytes. There is no evidence of synchrony of growth between individuals and no suggestion of seasonal reproduction is evident from summated sample data. Spermatogenesis follows the pattern previously established for deep-sea asteroids. A mature male remains in a state of constant ripeness, ready to shed sperm at any chance encounter with a female releasing ripe eggs. There is no evidence of brooding in any of the species and from the large size and yolk content of the egg, we can infer direct lecithotrophic development demersally.

ChemInform Abstract: ISOLATION OF PHENOLIC ALKALOIDS FROM POPPY PLANTS (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM L.) COLLECTED AT THE STATE OF OPIUM RIPENESS

Chemischer InformationsdienstVolume 10, Issue 28 Natural Products ChemInform Abstract: ISOLATION OF PHENOLIC ALKALOIDS FROM POPPY PLANTS (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM L.) COLLECTED AT THE STATE OF OPIUM RIPENESS B. PROKSA, B. PROKSASearch for more papers by this authorJ. CERNY, J. CERNYSearch for more papers by this authorJ. PUTEK, J. PUTEKSearch for more papers by this author B. PROKSA, B. PROKSASearch for more papers by this authorJ. CERNY, J. CERNYSearch for more papers by this authorJ. PUTEK, J. PUTEKSearch for more papers by this author First published: July 10, 1979 https://doi.org/10.1002/chin.197928327Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume10, Issue28July 10, 1979 RelatedInformation

Ripening of fruit and vegetables

The terms ripeness and maturity, when applied to fruit and vegetables, are often difficult to define. They relate to the time at which the commodity is in the appropriate state for harvesting and for eating. Although the extremes of under‐ripeness and over‐ripeness are fairly easily defined, exactly when the ripe state is achieved between these two extremes is to some extent subjective and, in the case of a fruit like the tomato, may depend on the degree of sweetness or acidity an individual may find attractive. In fruit during ripening there is a well coordinated series of changes in the composition of the fruit which lead from the unripe to the ripe condition and which give obvious changes in colour, texture, taste and aroma which are readily perceived by the senses. With vegetables, however, there are no obvious changes of this type and maturity is exceedingly difficult to define. However, there are changes in the chemical and physical structure of vegetables during the maturation period and, although these are of a subtle nature, they can affect the quality of the vegetables as food.

Soil fumigation with methyl bromide: the uptake and distribution of inorganic bromide in tomato plants.

SUMMARYTomato plants grown in soil previously fumigated with methyl bromide accumulated inorganic bromide in the foliage. The concentration present depended on the rate of application of methyl bromide to the soil and on the interval between, soil fumigation and planting, two factors determining the concentration in the soil of inorganic bromide arising from the breakdown of the fumigant.The concentration of bromide in the leaves decreased from the base to the tip of the plant, and increased with the age of the tissue.Bromide was accumulated in the fruit, but to a lesser extent than in the leaves. Mature fruit from plants grown in soil fumigated at the commercially applied rate of 1.5 lb/100 ft2 (73 g/m2) contained at the most 45 μg/g of fresh tissue, and generally not more than half this value. The concentration of bromide in fruit was related to the concentration of inorganic bromide present in the soil, but not to the state of ripeness or the position of the fruit on the plant.Similar results were obtained for leaves and fruit from plants grown in soil supplemented with inorganic bromide.

Changes of the RNA system in the endosperm of ripening castor bean seeds

Important metabolic changes have been demonstrated in the endosperm of Castor bean seeds during maturation and germination. The early phase of germination is characterized by a rapid rise of the Oxygen uptake (I) and of the activity of a number of enzymes (2,3). The increase of enzyme activity is largely due to “ex novo” synthesis of enzyme proteins (4,5). Moreover a rapid synthesis of RNA and of the ribosomal apparatus has been shown (6). The behaviour of the endosperm in the ripening seed can be considered during two distinct phases: I) development and accumulation of storage materials; 2) progressive dehydratation leading to the state of complete ripeness. As shown in this laboratory, the second phase of ripening is characterized by the marked decrease of almost all enzyme activities, due in part to reversible enzyme inactivation (7), but also to irreversible inactivation and to extensive damage of cell structures (3, 8). These findings suggested that protein synthesis inhibition, possibly due to inactivation of some component of nucleic acid system, could play a primary role in seed maturation. The present report deals with the behaviour of nucleic acids in the endosperm during the process of ripening.

Flowering Behaviour of Populations of Dactylis glomerata Under Field Conditions in Britain

Recent investigations have shown that photoperiod is the most significant environmental factor controlling reproductive development in Dactylis glomerata (Calder 1963b, 1964). This grass exhibits at least three stages of development: a juvenile stage during which it is insensitive to photoperiod or low temperature; an inductive stage when short-day treatment leads to complete induction or the state of ripeness to flower (for the purposes of induction in Dactylis a photoperiod of 17 h is still effectively a short day, or in other words, Dactylis requires a minimal dark period in the diurnal cycle of something less than 7 h); and a post-inductive stage when the plant responds to long days and heads most rapidly in continuous light (Calder 1963a). This paper is concerned with the reproductive behaviour of a number of populations of D. glomerata grown under uniform field conditions at Aberystwyth (lat. 521' N, long. 4? W). The results are discussed in the light of our recent findings on the environmental control of flowering in this grass and on the reported flowering behaviour of Dactylis populations grown elsewhere. D. glomerata, a native of Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa (Beddows 1959), has been introduced as a forage grass into most temperate countries of the world. The species is composed of a number of populations adapted to very diverse climatic, edaphic and agronomic habitats. The genus Dactylis can be subdivided into a number of taxa, but most authorities include all the forms in the one species D. glomerata, although Borrill (1961b) has recently described a second species (D. marina). Within D. glomerata about thirteen subspecies have been recognized, eleven of which are diploid (Stebbins & Zohary 1959) and two tetraploid. Of the tetraploids, ssp. hispanica is a Mediterranean type of little agronomic importance, while ssp. euglomerata, which has given rise to practically all the cultivated varieties, has a more northerly distribution. Of the diploids only ssp. lusitanica from western Portugal appears likely to be useful in agriculture in Great Britain (Borrill 1961a).

ON SOME PROPERTIES OF THE JELLY COAT IN OOCYTES AND MATURE EGGS OF SEA URCHINS. A STUDY OF PHASE-DEPENDENT CHANGES OF METAPLASMIC LAYERS IN THE CELL SURFACE

1. The spermatozoa are able to depolymerize the jelly coat of mature eggs of sea urchins (Psammechinus microtuberculatus, Ps. miliaris, Paracentrotus lividus, Arbacia lixula,) whereas that of resting oocytes or oocytes in meiosis is resistant. As follows from a survey of previous work (see Introduction) the depolymerizing action of the spermatozoa is probably of enzymatic nature. The mechanical resistance of the jelly coat was studied by filtration of the female gametes through gauze of appropriate mesh width. The jelly coats of the oocytes proved to be more resistant than those of mature eggs.2. The state of the jelly coat does not change abruptly at the conclusion of the meiotic divisions but a transition state prevails for a varying length of time. This is the state of cytoplasmic underripeness, the duration of which depends on exterior conditions and probably also on the species. The ripe state involves a maximum rate of fertilization and—as may be inferred from Borei's work (1948)—a minimum rate of r...

Effects of Wounding on Respiration and Ethylene Production by Cantaloupe Fruit Tissue

Despite the difficulty of evaluating the effects of handling and wounding, tissue slices offer advantages for physiiological or biochemical tests where small quantities of uniform tissues are required. This paper provides information on behavior of tissue slices from cantaloupe fru,its, including the changes induced by wounding. Respiration, ethylene production, and the effect of applied ethylene on respiration were measured, and the responses of tissue slices from cantaloupe fruits of various chronological ages were compared with the responses of matched intact fruits. It is well-known that wounding of plant tissue increases the rate of respiration (1, 5, 16), and may induce chemical changes and meristematic activity in the region of the wound (2, 3). Even shaking or dropping can cause an increase in respiration in avocado and citrus fruits (1, 9). Much information has been accumulated on changes in tissue cut from tubers and tuberous roots (12, 13, 15), but information on cut or wounded tissue from fruits is limited. The response of fruit tissues to wounding is variable and is influenced by varieity and maturity (1, 10, 19, 20, 24). Other sources of variability are fruit size, morphology, and the permeability of the peel to gases. According to various authors (1, 10, 22), increased CO2 evolution soon after cutting may indicate improved ventilation of the organ, rather than a direct effect of the wound on the cells involved. At least part of the burst of CO2, produced by apples immediately after cutting, may be eliminated by pre-evacuation of the tissue (5). Studies by Burg and Thimann (7) and Burg (5) emphasized the importance of the time elapsed after cutting in interpreting the effects of wounding. Cutting or wounding generally causes increased production of ethylene and -other volatiles by fruit tissue (11, 18). However, although Burg and Thimann (7) found an increased respiratory rate in tissues cut from postclimacteric apples, the rate of ethylene production was the same in plugs of tissue as in whole fruits, and the production by slices was appreciably lower. Release of existing ethylene fr'onj tissues may account for most of any increased production apparent just after cutting (5). When apple tissue was soaked in water or hypotonic solutions, Burg and Thimann (7) found that ethylene production was depressed, but the respiration rate was not affected; hypertonic solutions prevented the inhibition of ethylene production. Even during short periods of immersion, apple tissue loses appreciable amounts of fresh and dry weight (7, 10). Only avocado, banana, and tomato fruit tissues have been reported as stored for more than 2 days (1, 4, 5,). Avocado and banana tissue portions. showed normal ripening changes when stored in moist air, but such were not reported for tomato tissue. Infection by microorganisms may be a factor in the increased res,piration and ethylene production rates shown by cut tissue. While Petiicillkum digitatumii is the only microorganism known to produce relatively large amounts of ethylene (26), Williamson (25) has found that the growth of disease organisms may stimulate ethylene production by several plant materials; this response, which he attributed to injury, occurred as long as the infected tissue was alive. The following factors must be considered in the planning and interpretation of studies on ethylene production and respiration rate when fruit tissue slices are used: possible detrimental effects from washing or from immersion of the tissue in water, the length of time between cutting the tissue and the measurement of respiration and ethylene production rates, potential contamination from microorganisms, and the state of fruit maturity or ripeness.

The Rate of Fermentation of Ciders and Perries

The Rate of Fermentation of Ciders and Perries