Vegetables and vegetable products

A vegetable is the edible component of a plant including leaves, stalks, roots, tubers, bulbs, flowers, fruits, and seeds. In mushrooms, the fruiting body is usually the organ of interest. Although considered by some to be a vegetable, tomatoes are fruits and are included in that chapter. With the exception of certain seeds, plant tissues are low in protein.Water, fiber, starch, certain vitamins, minerals, and some lipids are the principal components. In general, the pH of vegetable tissue is in the range 5–7. Since the overall composition and pH are very favorable, growth of numerous microbial species can be expected if adequate moisture is present.