EFFECTS OF COLD STORAGE AND RIPENING ON ANTIOXIDANT COMPONENTS IN TOMATOES

Тhe contents of ascorbic acid, total pigments, lycopene and -carotene during tomato refrigerated ripening and storage were studied in two consecutive years.
The experiment was carried out with the hybrids Joker F₁, Townsville F₁ and Nikolina F₁. The fruits were harvested in red and light green stage.
The ripe fruits were stored at 1°C in the course of six weeks.
The fruits in light green stage were in a state of additional ripening at 12°C and they were stored under the same conditions as ripe ones.
The tomatoes in red-ripe stage during the harvesting had the highest content of antioxidant components.
A decrease of ascorbic acid quantity during the storage of ripe fruits was established.
As a result of additional ripening during which a synthesis of ascorbic acid becomes and followed by storage at 1°C, its content was near this of fruits in red-ripe stage at the moment of harvesting.
The content of pigment substances indicated a changeability which is associated with the decrease of lycopene content and the increase of -carotene one.
During the additional ripening under refrigerated conditions the synthesis of -carotene was faster than the synthesis of lycopene in respect to tomatoes that had been ripened in the open air.

IV Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes

B.P. Brashlyanova, G.T. Pevicharova

Lycopersicon esculentum, refrigeration, ascorbic acid, total pigments, lycopene, β-carotene

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.830.49