Page 149 - The Manga Guide to Biochemistry
P. 149
?4mystery Why does fruit become sweet?
Mystery
sooolved!
Fruit contain three types of sweet saccharides:
sucrose, fructose, and glucose.
As fruit ripens, enzymes become active, changing
the amounts of the three saccharides.
Fructose and sucrose are sweeter than glucose, so
fruit becomes sweeter as the amount of fructose or
sucrose increases!
Fruit becomes It makes perfect sense.
sweeter and more More sugar means more
delicious because
delicious!
of fructose and
sucrose.*
fructose
sucrose
But now that I know Whoa, down girl!
why fruit is sweet,
I’ll enjoy eating it
even more.
Drooooool
* Additionally, substances such as sorbitol, xylose, and organic acids are also related to the sweetness
or acidity of fruit. Biochemistry in Our Everyday Lives 135
