With the aim of amplifying the utilization of the palm tree the influence of poligalacturonase and macerating enzymes on the texture of the hard tips of hearts of palm was studied, incubating commercial preparations of cellulase , hemicellulase and poligalacturonase with the hearts of palm, prepared as small stalks of 1-3 cm length and with 2 cm portions of the rachis of the plant. Although the treatments containing hemicellulase and a mixture of hemicellulase and poligalacturonase promoted a slight softening of the hearts of palm, the results generally showed a hardening of the texture of the hearts of palm prepared as stalks of 1 to 3 cm indicating great solubilization of the parts susceptible to hydrolysis, the hard lignin rich parts remaining intact. As in the other tissue of the plant, in the rachis of the fibrous hearts of palm, the action of the enzymes was not statiscally proven.
hearts of palm; texture; cellulase; pectinase; hemicellulase
