Articles
CHANGES IN THE CHLOROPHYLL CAROTENOID AND LYCOPENE CONTENTS OF TOMATOES IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE
The analyses were continued weekly until 14.6. 1993 for the ripening room at 18°C and until 28.6. 1993 for those stored at 0 °C.
As a result of the first analyses, the total average chlorophyll, lycopene and carotene contents of all tomatoes were found to be 2.00 mg/kg, 3.625 mg/kg and 72.89 mg/kg respectively.
In the last analyses conducted with the fruits stored at 0 °C, total average chlorophyll, lycopene and carotene contents were found to be 1.443 mg/kg, 14.125 mg/kg and 1.59 mg/kg respectively; whereas the total average chlorophyll disappeared in the analyses of the first week (28.5.93) and the lycopene and the carotene were found as 36.250 ppm and 11.92 ppm respectively, with the fruits stored at 18 °C.
Consequently, the reduction in chlorophyll, the increase in lycopene and the reduction in carotene in the fruits stored at 0 °C were determined to be slower compared with those stored at 18 °C.
Moreover, the weight loss, changes in fruit flesh firmness, colour, dry matter, respiration, quality and appearance were found statistically significant in the fruits stored at 0 °C compared with those stored at 18 °C.