Chlorophyll Degradation in Green Tissues: Olives, Cabbage and Pickles

The chlorophylls are the main pigments in green plants, algae and other photosynthetic microorganisms. They belong to a class of pyrrole ring compounds known as porphins. Derivatives of porphins are called porphyrins. Phorbin, a porphyrin formed by the addition of another ring structure, serves as the basis for all chlorophyll molecules (Fig. 2.1). Different types of chlorophyll may arise depending on the chemical substituents on the R and R′ group (Fig. 2.2). Chlorophylls are predominantly found in the chloroplasts of plant cells. They are of hydrophobic nature and are found alongside carotenoids, lipids and lipoproteins. The carotenoids serve an important physiological function. Carotenoids prevent