ABSTRACT
Plant growth and development is intimately related to the growth and development of the plant cell and wall, so the texture of foods derived from plant parts is ultimately determined by the plant cell, its wall, and its relationships with the surrounding cells. Jackman and Stanley (1995) view texture change in plant foods as a consequence of decreasing shear force as the fruit ripens (Figure 3.2). As the fruit progresses through the ripening phase, it eventually reaches a stage where cellular cohesiveness is failing; this stage is termed de-bonding (Jackman and Stanley, 1995), and fruit at this stage is normally not acceptable for use or consumption. The changes in cell wall cohesiveness with maturity have been well documented (Tu et al., 1997) and are somewhat understood at the gene expression level (Giovannoni, 2001).
