Fruit, as a biological substance, consists primarily of plant-derived tissues that develop from the ovary of a flower after fertilization and function as the seed-dispersal unit. Its composition typically includes high water content, structural carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins), soluble sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose), organic acids, vitamins, minerals, and a diverse array of secondary metabolites such as polyphenols and carotenoids. Fruit tissues exhibit distinct anatomical regions (exocarp, mesocarp, endocarp) whose biochemical and physical properties influence texture, flavor, and post-harvest physiology, making fruit an important matrix in plant biology, food science, and nutrition research.
In the coastal forests of a tropical Japanese island near Okinawa grows an inconspicuous plant that is easy to mistake for a mushroom. It is a non-green parasite that feeds on the roots of other plants and produces up to ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 11, 2026
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Many grocery shoppers know the routine: bring fruit and vegetables home, rinse them, dry them and hope they stay fresh long enough to be eaten. But fresh produce is delicate. Grapes shrivel, apple slices brown and berries ...
Biotechnology
May 9, 2026
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A research team led by Professor Zhou Weibiao from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the NUS Faculty of Science has shown that compounds extracted from red dragon fruit peel can be incorporated into bread to ...
Biotechnology
Mar 17, 2026
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14
University of Florida scientists have developed a tomato packed with significantly higher levels of vitamin A, a breakthrough that could help combat one of the world's most widespread nutritional deficiencies. In research ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Feb 26, 2026
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22
Aleksey Maro knows far more than he cares to know about the urination habits of chimpanzees. But if you want to measure the alcohol intake of chimps in a Ugandan rain forest, where a breathalyzer is impractical, collecting ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 24, 2026
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121
Dreaming of harvesting peaches, plums, apples or figs from your own backyard? Growing delicious homegrown fruit starts with planting your tree correctly—and at the right time of year.
Plants & Animals
Jan 21, 2026
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One of the major challenges facing the agricultural sector is reserving the post-harvest quality of fruits. Significant economic losses can be caused by rapid ripening and deterioration in tropical fruits, such as bananas, ...
Agriculture
Jan 20, 2026
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51
Ever wondered why your mango tree drops fruit before it's ripe? Each season, mango growers across Australia watch helplessly as millions of mangoes fall to the ground too early.
Molecular & Computational biology
Dec 24, 2025
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101
Which plant hormones are critical in responding to drought conditions? How do plant hormone responses adjust to environmental changes? An article published in the journal Trends in Plant Science redefines and classifies the ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 1, 2025
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22
"There's nothing quite like the pawpaw," said Rob Brannan, a food science professor at Ohio University's Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences. "It's the only temperate member of a tropical fruit family. Everything else ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 23, 2025
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