Calcium and heat combo keeps cut jackfruit firm longer
Plant Signaling
If you've ever bought pre-cut fruit that turned mushy within a day, this points to a simple treatment that could keep it crisp on the shelf and in your fridge.
Once you slice open a jackfruit, it starts going soft and mushy fast, which is a big problem for anyone selling pre-cut fruit. Researchers found that dipping fresh-cut jackfruit in a calcium chloride solution combined with a mild heat treatment flips on a specific gene switch inside the fruit's cells, one that tells the plant to build stronger cell walls and stop breaking down the pectin that holds cells together. The result is fruit that stays firm and appealing much longer after cutting.
Key Findings
Combined calcium chloride and heat (CH) treatment delays softening in fresh-cut jackfruit compared to untreated controls
A transcription factor called NAC29 acts as a central hub linking calcium signaling to cell wall gene expression
NAC29 coordinates genes including PE, EG134, and CESAG2 to simultaneously boost cellulose synthesis and suppress pectin degradation
chevron_right Technical Summary
Treating cut jackfruit with calcium chloride and heat keeps it firmer for longer by switching on a plant gene network that strengthens cell walls, offering a simple way to extend shelf life for fresh-cut fruit.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Combined calcium chloride and heat treatment delays softening of fresh-cut jackfruit by activating the Ca2+ signaling-NAC29 transcriptional regulatory module.
signals into cell wall stabilization responses. Specifically, we propose a putative model in which a NAC29-centered regulatory module coordinates the expression of key structural genes (such as PE,...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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The jackfruit, jakfruit or nangka is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae).