Fruits Articles from GINASRECIPES.COM Free Article Directory

Search our Site:

The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. In botany, which is the scientific study of plants, fruits are the ripened ovaries of flowering plants. In many plant species, the fruit includes the ripened ovary and surrounding tissues. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from fruits.^[1] No single terminology really fits the enormous variety that is found among plant fruits.^[2] The term 'false fruit' (pseudocarp, accessory fruit) is sometimes applied to a fruit like the fig (a multiple-accessory fruit; see below) or to a plant structure that resembles a fruit but is not derived from a flower or flowers. Some gymnosperms, such as yew, have fleshy arils that resemble fruits and some junipers have berry-like, fleshy cones. The term "fruit" has also been inaccurately applied to the seed-containing female cones of many conifers.^[3]

Many true fruits, in a botanical sense, are treated as vegetables in cooking and food preparation because they are not sweet. These botanical fruits include cucurbits (e.g., squash, pumpkin, and cucumber), tomatoes, peas, beans, corn, eggplant, and sweet pepper; some spices, such as allspice and chilies, are botanical fruits.^[4] Occasionally, though rarely, a culinary "fruit" is not a true fruit in the botanical sense. For example, rhubarb is often referred to as a fruit, because it is used to make sweet desserts such as pies, though only the petiole of the rhubarb plant is edible.^[5] In the culinary sense, a fruit is usually any sweet tasting plant product associated with seed(s), a vegetable is any savoury or less sweet plant product, and a nut any hard, oily, and shelled plant product.^[6]

Although a nut is a type of fruit, it is also a popular term for edible seeds, such as peanuts (which are actually a legume) and pistachios.^[7] Technically, a cereal grain is a fruit termed a caryopsis. However, the fruit wall is very thin and fused to the seed coat so almost all of the edible grain is actually a seed. Therefore, cereal grains, such as corn, wheat and rice are better considered edible seeds, although some references list them as fruits.^[8] Edible gymnosperm seeds are often misleadingly given fruit names, e.g. pine nuts, ginkgo nuts, and juniper berries.

A fruit is a ripened ovary. Inside the ovary is one or more ovules where the megagametophyte contains the megagamete or egg cell.^[9] The ovules are fertilized in a process that starts with pollination, which involves the movement of pollen from the stamens to the stigma of flowers. After pollination, a tube grows from the pollen through the stigma into the ovary to the ovule and sperm are transferred from the pollen to the ovule, within the ovule the sperm unites with the egg, forming a diploid zygote. Fertilization in flowering plants involving both plasmogamy, the fusing of the sperm and egg protoplasm and karyogamy, the union of the sperm and egg nucleus.^[10] When the sperm enters the nucleus of the ovule and joins with the megagamete and the endosperm mother cell, the fertilization process is completed.^[11] As the developing seeds mature, the ovary begins to ripen. The ovules develop into seeds and the ovary wall, the pericarp, may become fleshy (as in berries or drupes), or form a hard outer covering (as in nuts). In some cases, the sepals, petals and/or stamens and style of the flower fall off. Fruit development continues until the seeds have matured. In some multiseeded fruits, the extent to which the flesh develops is proportional to the number of fertilized ovules.^[12] The wall of the fruit, developed from the ovary wall of the flower, is called the pericarp. The pericarp is often differentiated into two or three distinct layers called the exocarp (outer layer - also called epicarp), mesocarp (middle layer), and endocarp (inner layer). In some fruits, especially simple fruits derived from an inferior ovary, other parts of the flower (such as the floral tube, including the petals, sepals, and stamens), fuse with the ovary and ripen with it. The plant hormone ethylene causes ripening. When such other floral parts are a significant part of the fruit, it is called an accessory fruit. Since other parts of the flower may contribute to the structure of the fruit, it is important to study flower structure to understand how a particular fruit forms.^[3]

Fruits Subcategories Fruits Articles You Should Try Wine Tasting by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 Even though many just assume that wine tasting is sipping, swishing, and swallowing - many are amazed to find that it's actually a bit more. Wine tasting is more of an art, an art that is used to distinguish the taste of fine wines. Wine can be a tas... How To Handle Hangovers by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 A hangover is something that just about all of us have experienced at some point in time. After spending a night out drinking, you may wake up in the morning with your head feeling heavy and your stomach in knots. At that moment, you probably decided... Some Wine Recipes by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 Wines have become a household word and most households today have access to reasonably priced wine. Drinking wine doesn't just provide people with comfort during winter or cold weather but they also provide health benefits to the young and old alike.... Introduction To Being Wine Enthusiasts by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 Do you like drinking wine and you want to know the right way of buying, handling, use, and care of your prized wines as well as future acquirements? Then look no further and take note of the various tips and instructions that are right here. ... The Right Food With The Right Wine by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 When it comes to food and wine, most people are brought up with the rule stating "red goes with red, white goes with white", which means red wine goes with red meat while white wine goes with fish and poultry. Then came the "postmodern" maxim which s... Enjoying Red Wine by Jerry Shannon Jan 06, 2009 You don't know what to get for your next dinner party and the perfect food to go with your chosen bottle? Then it is high time that you learn the best kinds of red wines that are readily made available on the market. Basically, red wines are... Learn About Chardonnay by Jerry Shannon Jan 05, 2009 Chardonnay grape is the most popular type of white wine, found all over the world. The flavor, taste, and aroma of it will though, depending on where it was made and what processing methods were used. Chardonnay has a variety of different styles and ... How To Grow Roses Correctly by Jon Simms Dec 30, 2008 To make sure that your prized roses remain in the best of health, simply follow these tips. 1. Black Spots on Leaves This disease is commonly known as black spot. Black spots appear as circular with fringed edges on leaves. They cau... Learn About The National Home Gardening Club by Jon Simms Dec 30, 2008 The National Home Gardening Club offer many benefits to its members. It is said to be the largest home gardening organization with paid membership. For a nominal fee, various benefits are available. If you choose to become a member the Natio... Advice For Gardening Individuals by Jon Simms Dec 30, 2008 Many people may not be aware that gardening can actually harm the environment. A large amount of carbon dioxide can be released through tilling the soil. This contributes to global warming. When you cultivating and compacting the soil, destroys good ...