FACTORS INFLUENCING THE BREAKDOWN OF FRUIT IN STRAWBERRY JAM

Abstract. Structural changes produced in strawberries when made into jam were studied by light microscopy. The results indicated that only the epidermal and vascular tissues retained their structural integrity, whereas the bulk of the cells were collapsed and in some instances ruptured. The extent to which fruit of different cultivars broke down during the jam making process was determined, and an expression representing fruit wholeness was derived. It is concluded that a relationship exists between the extent to which strawberries disintegrate during jam boiling and the density of achenes on the surface of berries of a given size.