Tomato (Lycopersicon
esculentum Mill.) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world
and
probably the most preferred garden crop. It is a key
component of the Mediterranean diet, commonly
associated with a reduced risk of chronic degenerative
diseases. Currently there are a large number
of tomato cultivars with different morphological and
sensorial characteristics. Its consumption brings
health benefits, linked with its high levels of
bioactive ingredients, including carotenoids such as β-
carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, and mostly
lycopene, which is responsible for the red colour,
vitamins in particular ascorbic acid and tocopherols,
phenolic compounds including hydroxycinnamic
acid derivatives and flavonoids, and lectins. The
content of these compounds is variety dependent.
Besides, unlike unripe tomatoes, which contain a high
content of tomatine (glycoalkaloid) but no
lycopene, ripe red tomatoes contain high amounts of
lycopene and a lower quantity of glycoalkaloids.
Current studies demonstrate the several benefits of
these bioactive compounds, either isolated or in
combined extracts, namely anticarcinogenic,
cardioprotective and hepatoprotective effects among
other health benefits, mainly due to its antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties.
This study intended to evaluate the influence of
different postharvest cooling conditions in the
chemical composition, antioxidant activity and
microbiological contamination of tomato cultivars
namely: Cereja, Chucha, Rama and Redondo. Pink fruits
were kept for 15 days under three different
storage temperatures (6ºC, 12ºC and 25ºC) during which
their lycopene, ascorbic acid contents, total
phenolics and antioxidant activity were evaluated every
three days. Counts of colony forming units of
coliform bacteria, yeasts and molds and the presence of
Escherichia coli, were determined before and
after 15 days of storage. All studied parameters
revealed that temperature and storage duration
caused statistically significant differences in
nutritional values of every cultivar. It was observed an
increase in the lycopene concentration and antioxidant
activity with temperature and storage duration.
The phenolic and ascorbic acid contents showed a slight
increase during storage at every
temperature. Microbial contamination was only found in
cultivars that grew in direct contact with the
soil (Chucha and Redondo) and
bacterial population increased exponentially with storage
temperature. Our results indicate that the ideal
temperature to maintain optimal physiological,
biochemical and microbiological profiles of the
cultivars studied is 12ºC and that the cv. Rama fruit is
the most suited for consumption in natura.
Author (s) Details
Ana F. Vinha
REQUIMTE/LAQV,
Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua
Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal and FP-ENAS (UFP Energy,
Environment and Health Research Unit), CEBIMED (Biomedical Research Center),
University Fernando Pessoa, Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal.
Carla Sousa
FP-ENAS (UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit), CEBIMED
(Biomedical Research Center), University Fernando Pessoa, Praça 9 de Abril,
349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal.
Ana Castro
FP-ENAS (UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit), CEBIMED
(Biomedical Research Center), University Fernando Pessoa, Praça 9 de Abril,
349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal.
Marta O. Soares
Drug Discovery, Delivery and Toxicology, IINFACTS/CESPU Paredes, Portugal.
Anabela S. G. Costa
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Department of Chemical Sciences,
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228,
4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
M. Beatriz P. P. Oliveira
REQUIMTE/LAQV,
Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua
Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
View Book :- https://bp.bookpi.org/index.php/bpi/catalog/book/252
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