| MadSci Network: Biochemistry |
When unripe, the peel of the banana contains chlorophyll, a green pigment that is at the basis of photosynthesis and is so intense that it masks all the other color pigments in the fruit. When the fruit ripens, the membrane surrounding the chlorophyll weakens and permits enzymes to reach and destroy the green pigment. At the same time, that enzymes acts on vitamin A to produce a pigment that is yellow. If you want to read more about the subject, in particular about the crucial role of ethylene in ripening, I have found some interesting web sites: http://medicaltalk.com/6352.html http://www.freshdelmonte.com/ba_aboutprocess.html http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/Plants_Human/fruitgrowripe.html %
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