DETERMINANTS OF SWEETNESS IN PAPAYA AND PINEAPPLE

Sugars are important determinants of fruit flavor and quality. Papaya and pineapple fruit do not store starch and the sweetness of these fruit after harvest are therefore determined before harvest. An understanding of the biochemistry and key enzymes involved in sugar accumulation in papaya and pineapple fruit during development is a prerequisite to their possible genetic improvement. The objectives of this study were to determine the changes in the sugar composition and activities of sugar metabolizing enzymes during papaya and pineapple fruit development.