HEMICELLULOSE APPARENT MOLECULAR SIZE CHANGES DURING SOFTENING OF PEACH FRUIT
Peach fruit softening appears to be associated with changes in cell wall polymers, particularly pectins and hemicelluloses. To determine changes of cell wall polymers associated with peach fruit softening, we conducted sequential extractions of pectin and hemicellulose from softening fruit. A more tightly bound hemicellulose fraction contained considerable amounts of pectin associated sugars. This fraction was separated into charged and neutral fractions, using anion exchange chromatography, and then fractionated into two apparent molecular weight classes by size exclusion chromatography. Virtually all of the charged fraction eluted in the higher apparent molecular weight fraction. The neutral sugar fraction segregated into both apparent molecular weight size classes, with a redistribution from the large to the small size class during softening. This redistribution was accompanied by changes in neutral sugar composition. A possible relationship between changes in this fraction and fruit softening will be discussed. Supported by USDA grant 92-34150-7190 and the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.