macerations

Maceration is the softening, breakdown, or extraction of a material by soaking it in a liquid. The term is used across disciplines, including medicine, food and drink production, botany, and laboratory science. Depending on context, maceration may refer to skin tissue becoming more pliable after moisture exposure, or to a deliberate culinary or industrial process that extracts flavors, colors, or compounds from plant material.

In medicine, skin maceration describes the pale, wrinkled skin that results from prolonged moisture exposure, typically in skin folds, near wounds, or from urinary or fecal incontinence. Macerated skin has reduced barrier function, increased fragility, and a higher risk of infection and wound deterioration. Management emphasizes moisture control, gentle cleansing, appropriate dressings, and addressing the underlying cause of excess moisture.

In cooking and beverage production, maceration refers to soaking fruit, herbs, or other plant matter in a liquid to soften texture and extract flavors, colors, and aromas. It is used in desserts, jams, liqueurs, and perfume or essential oil production. In winemaking, grape skins macerate during fermentation to release pigments and tannins, shaping color and structure.

In pathology and forensic contexts, maceration can describe the deliberate or natural breakdown of tissue, as in specimen preparation or postmortem autolysis. Macerated tissue is often fragile and may require careful handling or processing to preserve diagnostic information.