546 Produce Degradation: Reaction Pathways and their Prevention
The development of senescence in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples was studied by
microstereology and electron microscopy over a 7-month storage period. In the skin
tissue, the cytoplasm decreased in volume and density, ribosomes disappeared, and
the tonoplast and plasmalemma were frequently ruptured. The flesh exhibited the
most changes and was already found to be aging at the time of harvest. In the tissue
aged 7 months, the cytoplasm was almost nonexistent and only fragments of mem-
branes and vesicles were apparent. The matrix of the middle lamella disappeared
FIGURE 18.11 (See caption on opposite page)