Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a transgenic fruit-bearing plant having a foreign nucleotide sequence inserted into its genome which is substantially similar to a portion of the plant's fruit ripening specific lipoxygenase cDNA. Transgenic plants according to the present invention produce fruits having modified and surprisingly superior ripening characteristics, including improved quality and texture, greater firmness, longer shelf life, better packaging and storage characteristics, and improved processing characteristics. Also provided are transgenic fruits; transgenic plant cells; methods for making transgenic plants, fruits and plant cells; methods for inhibiting lipoxygenase production in plants; isolated nulceic acid sequences; and vectors comprising these isolated nucleotide sequences.