C. Mohankumar et al., HISTOCHEMICAL-CHANGES IN MESOCARP OF OIL PALM (ELAEIS-GUINEENSIS) FRUIT DURING DEVELOPMENT, Journal of Food Science and Technology, 31(1), 1994, pp. 19-21
Immature mesocarp cells of oil palm fruit (12 weeks after anthesis) we
re thin-walled and oval-shaped with intercellular spaces, while mature
mesocarp contained densely packed thick-walled polygonal cells, fille
d with numerous oil bodies (olcosomes), 24 weeks after anthesis. Unlik
e oilseeds. the oil palm fruit mesocarp contains fat and fibres as the
major storage and structural components. Structural components increa
sed slowly during the early stages of fruit development (4 to 16 weeks
). followed by a steep increase in the mature stages (20 to 24 weeks).
Similarly, the lipid content in the fresh mesocarp increased steeply
from 7% at 16th week to 48% by 24th week after anthesis. Proteins and
sugar, though minor constituents, also showed a progressive increase.