CAROTENOIDS, ASCORBIC ACID AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF TOMATOES

Tomatoes and their products provide a good source of vitamin C and carotenoid antioxidants (primarily lycopene). Significant differences in chemical composition and physical properties exist among the different tomato genotypes.
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits of nine Lithuanian cultivars ‘Jurgiai’, ‘Neris’, ‘Vaisa’, ‘Svara’, ‘Balčiai’, ‘Aušriai’, ‘Rutuliai’, ‘Dručiai’ and ‘Vytėnų didieji’ were analyzed for their lycopene, -carotene and ascorbic acid contents.
In addition, tomatoes colour (CIEL*a*b*) and texture were evaluated.
Lycopene content in the investigated cultivars ranged from 3.9 (cv.
Rutuliai) to 10.5 mg 100 g^-1 fresh weight (fw) (cv.
Vaisa) and -carotene – from 0.81 (cv.
Vytėnų didieji) to 1.87 mg 100 g^-1 fw (cv.
Vaisa). All tested tomato cultivars had rather similar ascorbic acid content – on average 9.91 mg 100 g^-1 fw.
Medium positive correlation (r =0.55) was obtained between colour coordinates a*/b* ratio and lycopene/-carotene ratio; however, correlation between a*/b* and lycopene content was weak (r =0.33). Coordinate L^* was negatively correlated with lycopene/-carotene ratio (r =-0.63) and with the content of lycopene (r =-0.59).The firmest were fruits of cv.
Rutuliai while fruits of cv.
Vaisa were softest among the investigated cultivars.
A strong negative correlation (r =-0.72) was found between tomatoes skin (exocarp) firmness and lycopene content.
Weak negative correlation (r =-0.49) was found between tomatoes pericarp firmness and lycopene content.

IV Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes

R. Bobinaitė, E. Dambrauskienė, A. Radzevičius, J. Jankauskienė, M. Rubinskienė

tomatoes, lycopene, β-carotene, colour, texture

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.830.34