quickly used up by the plant cells after
harvest. This is why vegetables picked just
before cooking are more full-flavored than
store-bought produce, which is usually days to
weeks from the field.
Browning Enzymes, Breath Fresheners,
and the Order of the Meal
The browning enzymes are normally
considered a nuisance, because they
discolor foods as we prepare them.
Recently a group of Japanese scientists
found a constructive use for their oxidizing
activities: they can help clear our breath of
persistent garlic, onion, and other sulfurous
odors! The reactive phenolic chemicals
produced by the enzymes combine with
sulfhydryl groups to form new and
odorless molecules. (Phenolic catechins in
green tea do the same.) Many raw fruits
and vegetables are effective at this, notably
pome and stone fruits, grapes, blueberries,