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Interactions between apple cell walls and native apple polyphenols: quantification and some consequences
1Unité de Recherches Cidricoles-Biotransformation des Fruits et Légumes, I.N.R.A., B.P. 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cédex, France. crenard@rennes.inra.fr
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|August 24, 2001
Summary
Procyanidins, a type of polyphenol, strongly bind to apple cell walls, inhibiting their degradation. This binding is selective for higher polymers and depends on concentration and degree of polymerization (DPn).
Area of Science:
- Plant Biochemistry
- Food Science
- Material Science
Background:
- Apple cell walls are complex structures influenced by phenolic compounds.
- Understanding polyphenol interactions with cell walls is crucial for food processing and quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the binding interactions between apple cell wall components and various polyphenols.
- To quantify the binding capacity and selectivity of procyanidins for apple cell walls.
- To assess the impact of procyanidin binding on cell wall stability and enzymatic degradation.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of apple parenchyma cell walls using a phenol:buffer procedure.
- Extraction and purification of polyphenols (hydroxycinnamic acids, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidins) via methanol, water:acetone, and preparative HPLC.
- Quantification of polyphenol-cell wall interactions by incubating suspended cell walls with polyphenol solutions.
- Analysis of procyanidin desorption using buffer, cell wall polysaccharides, urea, and acetone:water.
- Determination of the effect of procyanidin binding on cell wall susceptibility to enzymatic degradation.
Main Results:
- Hydroxycinnamic acids and (-)-epicatechin showed no significant binding to apple cell walls.
- Procyanidins exhibited rapid and substantial binding, up to 0.6 g per g cell walls.
- Procyanidin binding increased with initial concentration and average degree of polymerization (DPn).
- Selective binding of higher procyanidin polymers was observed, leading to complexes with high average DPn after washing.
- Procyanidin binding partially inhibited the enzymatic degradation of apple cell walls.
Conclusions:
- Procyanidins possess a strong affinity for apple cell walls, with binding influenced by polymer size and concentration.
- The selective binding of procyanidins, particularly higher polymers, enhances cell wall stability.
- Procyanidin interaction with cell walls offers a potential mechanism for modulating cell wall degradation in food applications.
