Articles
Tomato quality is influenced by postharvest light and temperature
Article number
1364_3
Pages
27 – 34
Language
English
Abstract
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are often harvested before full maturity.
As tomatoes are climacteric fruit and their ripening processes continue after harvest, it is likely that their full potential quality is not achieved with the current postharvest technology, which most often includes dark and cool conditions.
Therefore, the objectives of this study were to examine the effect of postharvest lighting with light emitting diodes (LED) and temperature on the quality of tomato fruit (color, firmness, total soluble soids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) and lycopene). Solanum lycopersicum Livento fruit were stored under different light spectra (blue-red, wide and dark) and intensity with two different temperatures (14 and 20°C). The results showed that tomato color development was positively affected by warmer temperature and delayed by light treatments.
Higher temperature decreased firmness and increased lycopene concentration by 31%. Lycopene was also enhanced by low-intensity light.
Higher TSS/TA ratio, seen beneficial for flavor, was achieved at higher temperatures due to the decrease of TA. The results confirm that the current cool and dark postharvest conditions for tomato fruit are not the most suitable during storage, but that quality may be improved with an appropriate treatment.
As tomatoes are climacteric fruit and their ripening processes continue after harvest, it is likely that their full potential quality is not achieved with the current postharvest technology, which most often includes dark and cool conditions.
Therefore, the objectives of this study were to examine the effect of postharvest lighting with light emitting diodes (LED) and temperature on the quality of tomato fruit (color, firmness, total soluble soids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) and lycopene). Solanum lycopersicum Livento fruit were stored under different light spectra (blue-red, wide and dark) and intensity with two different temperatures (14 and 20°C). The results showed that tomato color development was positively affected by warmer temperature and delayed by light treatments.
Higher temperature decreased firmness and increased lycopene concentration by 31%. Lycopene was also enhanced by low-intensity light.
Higher TSS/TA ratio, seen beneficial for flavor, was achieved at higher temperatures due to the decrease of TA. The results confirm that the current cool and dark postharvest conditions for tomato fruit are not the most suitable during storage, but that quality may be improved with an appropriate treatment.
Authors
A. Hämäläinen, K. Jokinen, T. Kotilainen, P. Palonen
Keywords
LED lights, Solanum lycopersicum, lycopene, color, firmness
Online Articles (60)