Turgor pressure effects on textural behavior of honeydew melon

Melon samples were equilibrated with solutions of increasing mannitol conce ntration in the range 0.00 to 0.80 M for the purpose of evaluating turgor p ressure through volume change measurement. Melon compression and relaxation behaviors were evaluated with an Instron Testing machine, and structural c haracteristics were observed through microscopy. Immersion in mannitol solu tions affected tissue firmness, reducing its value in all studied cases. Af ter plasmolysis and plasmotypsis, samples became less elastic and more visc ous, and firmness reduced more than 50%. Textural parameters obtained and m icroscopy results indicated that, in general, fracture might be associated with cell-wall integrity, and residual relaxation force might be associated with tissue turgor pressure.