Articles
Blueberry texture and total polysaccharide composition of ten southern highbush cultivars
Article number
1440_48
Pages
349 – 356
Language
English
Abstract
Blueberry texture is critical for consumer acceptance and inconsistent texture of a cultivar can decrease market value.
Loss of berry texture may be associated with solubilization of cell wall polysaccharides during storage.
In this study, blueberry texture and total polysaccharide fractions in peel and pulp were evaluated in ten southern highbush cultivars at harvest and after cold storage.
Blueberry cultivars of crisp, firm, and soft phenotypes were harvested (T0) and stored for 14 days at 3°C, 80% RH (T2). Fruit texture of the epidermis (Fep), hypoderm (Fh), parenchyma (Fp), and inner pulp (Finner) were determined using a TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer equipped with a 1.4-mm needle probe.
Peel and pulp alcohol insoluble residues (AIRs) were prepared and then sequentially extracted to yield water soluble pectin (WSF), chelator soluble pectin (ESF), sodium carbonate soluble pectin (NSF), alkali soluble hemicellulose (KSF), and un-extractable cellulose (UNX) fractions.
Fep decreased by 15% after 14 days of storage.
Although Finner was highest in the crisp cultivars, no change among cultivars was found in firmness after storage.
WSF increased through storage and was highest in firm and crisp cultivars (11.48 to 12.99%). UNX differed among the cultivars and was highest in ‘Windsor’, ‘Bluecrisp’, and ‘Croatan’ (30.25 to 31.08%). WSF and UNX differed in tissue type with WSF highest in the peel (11.70%) and UNX highest in the pulp (30.27%). NSF is composed of covalently bound pectin, specifically rhamnogalacturonan I and homogalacturonan, suggesting loss of epidermal firmness is related to the degradation of covalently bound pectin in the pulp.
UNX is composed of cellulose, indicating cellulose content of the pulp decreases with storage of blueberries and is related to softening.
Loss of berry texture may be associated with solubilization of cell wall polysaccharides during storage.
In this study, blueberry texture and total polysaccharide fractions in peel and pulp were evaluated in ten southern highbush cultivars at harvest and after cold storage.
Blueberry cultivars of crisp, firm, and soft phenotypes were harvested (T0) and stored for 14 days at 3°C, 80% RH (T2). Fruit texture of the epidermis (Fep), hypoderm (Fh), parenchyma (Fp), and inner pulp (Finner) were determined using a TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer equipped with a 1.4-mm needle probe.
Peel and pulp alcohol insoluble residues (AIRs) were prepared and then sequentially extracted to yield water soluble pectin (WSF), chelator soluble pectin (ESF), sodium carbonate soluble pectin (NSF), alkali soluble hemicellulose (KSF), and un-extractable cellulose (UNX) fractions.
Fep decreased by 15% after 14 days of storage.
Although Finner was highest in the crisp cultivars, no change among cultivars was found in firmness after storage.
WSF increased through storage and was highest in firm and crisp cultivars (11.48 to 12.99%). UNX differed among the cultivars and was highest in ‘Windsor’, ‘Bluecrisp’, and ‘Croatan’ (30.25 to 31.08%). WSF and UNX differed in tissue type with WSF highest in the peel (11.70%) and UNX highest in the pulp (30.27%). NSF is composed of covalently bound pectin, specifically rhamnogalacturonan I and homogalacturonan, suggesting loss of epidermal firmness is related to the degradation of covalently bound pectin in the pulp.
UNX is composed of cellulose, indicating cellulose content of the pulp decreases with storage of blueberries and is related to softening.
Publication
Authors
M. Trandel-Hayse, H. Oh, S. Johanningsmeier, M. Iorizzo, P. Perkins-Veazie
Keywords
fruit firmness, pectin, hemicellulose, cellulose, sequential extraction, correlation
Online Articles (74)