What are the chemical composition of fruits and vegetables?

What are the chemical composition of fruits and vegetables?

The major constituents are sugar, polysaccharides, and organic acids, while N- compounds and lipids are present in lesser amounts. Minor constituents include pigments and aroma substances of importance to sensory quality, and vitamins and minerals of nutritional importance.

How do fruits and vegetables compare nutritionally?

Both are high in fiber as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds. Fruits and vegetables are also naturally low in sodium and fat ( 2 ). As you might expect given their sweet taste, fruits tend to have a higher amount of natural sugar and calories compared to most varieties of vegetables.

What is the main difference between fruits and vegetables?

Botanically speaking, a fruit is a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant, whereas vegetables are all other plant parts, such as roots, leaves and stems.

What are the composition of vegetables?

Vegetables are mostly made of water. Lettuce, cucumbers and leafy vegetables contain about 95\% water, so only 5\% of their mass is dry matter. Hard vegetables like carrots and pumpkins have around 12–15\% dry matter, sweetpotato are close to 20\% dry matter, and cassava is one of the highest at 35–45\% dry matter.

What are the chemical reaction in fruits?

Oxygen in the air can cause sliced fruit to brown, a process called enzymic browning (an oxidation reaction). Phenols and the enzyme phenolase are found in the cells of the apple, and when these are exposed to oxygen in the air, for example through slicing, the oxygen causes a reaction.

What are the chemical properties of fruits?

In all the cultivars, there was a high percentage of dry matter (14.05 – 16.67\%), ash (0.33 – 0.59\%), reducing sugar (2.3 – 4.99\%), acid (0.78 – 1.95\%) and cellulose (0.93 – 2.66\%), as well as phenols (164.54 – 416.24 mg GAE / 100 g), anthocyanins (53.38 – 58.83 mg / 100 g) and vitamin C (35.77 – 54.92 mg / 100 g).

Can fruits substitute for vegetables?

But are fruits and vegetables nutritionally equivalent? The short answer is: no. While the two categories offer similar vitamins and minerals, they have different nutrient and phytochemical profiles. Just as different whole grains, legumes and nuts do.

Is vegetable a scientific term?

Vegetable is a culinary term. Its definition has no scientific value and is somewhat arbitrary and subjective. All parts of herbaceous plants eaten as food by humans, whole or in part, are generally considered vegetables.

What is chemical composition of fruit?

Fruit contains natural acids, such as citric acid in oranges and lemons, malic acid of apples, and tartaric acid of grapes. These acids give the fruits tartness and slow down bacterial spoilage.

How does chemical spoilage affect fruits and vegetables?

Chemical and enzyme spoilage occurs especially when vegetables and fruit are damaged by falling or breaking. Such damage can release enzymes that trigger chemical reactions. Tomatoes become soft, for example, and apples and other types of fruit turn brown. The fruit can also become rancid.

What is the chemical composition of fruits and vegetables?

The Chemical Composition of Fruits and Vegetables. The primary chemical constitution in mist freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are water, which ranges s from low of 65\% (fresh weight) in persimmons to a high of 96\% in cucumbers. Fruit and vegetables tend to be low in protein and lipids and high in carbohydrates.

Is the mineral nutrient composition of vegetables declining?

1. Introduction Internet articles and popular press frequently state that the mineral nutrient composition of vegetables, fruits and grains has been declining over the past 50 years.

How many varieties of fruits and vegetables are there?

Thomas compared data on 27 varieties of vegetables, 17 varieties of fruit, 10 cuts of meat and some milk and cheese products, using nutrient composition tables from the U.K.’s McCance and Widdowson ’ s The Composition of Foods first edition published in 1940 compared with the data for the same foods from the fifth edition published in 1991.

Is there a robust nutrient analysis of fruit and vegetables?

Nutrient analysis of fruit and vegetables It is not possible to make robust comparisons between current data and existing data held for fruit and vegetables largely derived from earlier analytical surveys undertaken between 1982 and 1990.