ABSTRACT

Apple puree is a common product that we consume from childhood to old age. At the macroscopic scale, apple is composed of three main tissues: the epidermis, the parenchyma and the endocarp. Edible plant tissues are usually rich in parenchymatous cells, which are thin-walled and nonlignified. Fruit tissues are composed of plant cells, the size and shape of which depend on the fruit type, the variety and their localization in the fruit. Plant cells can have various sizes and shapes within one tissue. Plant cell walls are composed of four main components: cellulose, non-cellulosic polysaccharides, proteins and phenolic compounds. Apple fruit texture is known to depend on several parameters, such as the mechanical properties of apple tissues, the organization of the cells within the tissues, the turgor pressure of the cells and the thickness of the cell walls. To obtain fruit purees, thermo-mechanical treatments are commonly used. The fruits are therefore heat-treated before being pureed by mechanical treatment.