Fig. 1.
(A and B) Schematic model of the creep/relaxation test used to quantify elastic strain and creep strain during the loading cycle, and elastic strain, viscoelastic strain and viscous strain during the unloading cycle of excised and enzymatically isolated CM and PM of apples and pears. During the loading cycle, specimens were subjected to tensile forces that equalled 50 % of the respective maximum forces (Fmax). (C) Sketch of stepwise creep tests where CM and PM strips of apple and pear were loaded stepwise in increments of 10 % of their respective Fmax values.