Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Lewis Thomson on 15/08/2022 14:39:05

Title: What are the ratios of starch to plant cells like in fruit & vegetables?
Post by: Lewis Thomson on 15/08/2022 14:39:05

Listener Joe is curious in finding the answer to this question so they submitted it to The Naked Scientists.

"When I’m eating a fruit, like a banana, how much of what I eat consists of plant cells, and how much of it is starch that the cells have produced. Is it all plant cells that are full of starches, or is most of the fruit just the starch outside of the plant cell walls? Does it vary across different fruits or vegetables like apples and potatoes?"

Do you have any ideas? Leave your thoughts in the comments below...

Title: Re: What are the ratios of starch to plant cells like in fruit & vegetables?
Post by: Zer0 on 06/10/2022 14:18:16

Hello Joe & thanks for the Query.

Starch is a chain of glucose molecules which are bound together, to form a bigger molecule, which is called a polysaccharide.

Composition varies from fruit to fruit & vegetable to vegetable.

In fruits i can only think of Bananas.
🍌
& In veggies Potatoes.
🥔

P.S. - Keep em coming Lewis!
👍
(the questions)

Title: Re: What are the ratios of starch to plant cells like in fruit & vegetables?
Post by: paul cotter on 06/10/2022 17:32:13

Starch is an energy storage, similar in function to fat in animals. The amount will vary depending on what function the part of the plant has. For example leaves and flowers will have low starch content while tubers will have very high levels. A lot of seeds store energy as fat as it has a higher energy density and space is at a premium in most seeds.