New approaches to understanding and controlling cell separation in relation to fruit and vegetable texture

Texture is a major quality attribute of plant-based foods. The plant cell wall is a key determinant of texture in fruit and vegetables; its properties influence the way in which plant tissues undergo mechanical deformation and failure during mastication. Processes such as cooking, and physiological events such as ripening can reduce the strength of cell adhesion in many vegetables and fruit through depolymerization of pectic polysaccharides. There is considerable interest in reducing such cell separation to prevent over-softening, loss of juiciness and development of mealiness. Recent research on Chinese water chestnut has implicated diferulic acid cell-wall crosslinks in the thermal stability of cell adhesion and, therefore, maintenance of crispness after cooking. in this review, we discuss the potential for exploiting this finding in other edible plant organs, and assess the likely effects that enhanced crosslinking might have on other quality attributes.