| Abstract: | Potato and waterchestnut tissue were used as experimental materials for comparing between-species differences in heat softening rate. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques were employed to compare cellular and subcellular changes with corresponding fractur ability losses during cooking of potato and Chinese waterchestnut by four cooking methods. SEM observations strongly suggest that cell wall adhesion and its heat resistance play a major role in fracturability changes during heating. Intracellular substances such as starch and minerals may slightly alter the cell wall strength but do not substantially affect fracturability changes. In addition, differences in the gross chemical composition between species were inadequate for explaining fracturability changes of the two vegetable tissues during heating. |
