Relationship between α- and β-galactosidase activities and firmness loss during the development of Vitis vinifera L. grape berries

Abstract

Firmness is an essential organoleptic quality parameter of Vitis vinifera L. table grapes and is also a desirable feature for their optimal storage. In grape, texture loss is associated with a series of physicochemical changes that are affected by genetic, climatic and agricultural factors. A reduction in firmness may be caused by a drop in turgor pressure or by physiological changes in the tissue that weaken the structure. These changes are related to the degradation of the polysaccharides of the middle lamella and primary wall, and result from the activity of different cell wall-modifying enzymes. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between α- and β-galactosidase enzyme..