Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are very important in horticultural commodities because of their contribution to texture, flavor, color, and nutritional value. Celluloses, hemicelluloses, and pectins, components of cell walls, are essential to maintaining the structure of plant cells. Fruits are kept firm when unripe, but soften when ripening due to hydrolysis of these cell wall components. Additionally, in the unripe state, starch is present, mainly in the pulp, and is transformed into sugars during ripening. Sugars contribute to the sweetness of fruits and vegetables. The palate of horticultural commodities depends on the balance between sugars, organic acids, and other compounds such as phenolic compounds. After harvest a rapid increase in respiration rate is simultaneously observed with the loss of sugars as substrates. In addition, fruits and vegetables are good sources of dietary fiber whose consumption has been associated with nutritional and health benefits.