Certain Physiological and Biochemical Changes in the Developing Tomato Fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Abstract

SUMMARY The biosynthesis of nonvolatile compounds by tomato fruit parallels the growth rate of the fruit, regardless of varieties studied. Volatile reducing substances (VRS, mμ100 g), reducing sugars (percent), water‐soluble pectins (percent), and organic acids (mg/100 g) progressively increase in quantity with advancing maturity. Total titratable acidity (percent) and total pectic materials (percent) increased during the initial stages of maturation, but gradually decreased as the fruit ripened. Ascorbic acid (mg/100 g) increased with the maturity of fruit but declined slightly in the later (red and red‐ripe) stages of maturation. Concentrations of compounds (chlorophylls, mg/100 g; carotene and lycopene, mg/100 g) contributing to the coloration changed significantly as the fruit passed through various degrees of maturation. The pattern of physiological and chemical changes during the development of tomato fruit was nearly identical in both varieties studied. However, V. R. Moscow fruit contained higher amounts of pigments, reducing sugars, pectins, organic acids, ascorbic acid, and VRS than the fruit of Fireball variety, regardless of maturities studied.

Effect of Stages of Maturity and Ripening Conditions on the Biochemical Characteristics of Tomato

“…It estimated that reducing sugar content was increased with the advancement of ripening of fruit. Fill ripen tomato contained the highest quantity of reducing sugar while the mature green tomato contained the lowest quantity at all time of observations (Table 4) alsoDalai et al [5] also observed similar result.…”

“…Sugar content varied with the stage of harvesting. [5] found that reducing sugar (%) were about 2.4% (large green), 2.90% (breaker), 3.10% (pink), 3.45% (red) and 3.65% (red ripen) of fresh weight. At all temperatures, fruits soluble sugars concentration increased with storage duration.…”

Dynamic Changes in Health‐Promoting Properties and Eating Quality During Off‐Vine Ripening of Tomatoes

“…Sugar content varies with maturity stage at harvest (Sinaga, ). Dalal, Salunkhe, Boe, and Olson () found that at the mature‐green, breaker, pink, red, and red‐ripe tomato ripening stages, reducing sugars accounted for about 2.4%, 2.90%, 3.10%, 3.45%, and 3.65% on a FW basis, respectively. Regardless of temperature, the level of soluble sugar showed an increasing trend during storage.…”

“…. (Dalal et al, 1965) Sugars Cv. Rio Grande Peak at green to turning stage and then decrease as ripening proceeds (Sammi & Masud, 2007) Reducing sugars Sucrose…”

Effects of Different Cultivation Practices and Postharvest Treatments on Tomato Quality

“…Several investigators reported an increase in ascorbic acid content with ripening with either a continuing rise or a slight fall (Dalal et al, 1965) during the final stages of ripening. Watada et al (1976) also reported AA content of mature green tomato fruit to be essentially the same as in fully ripened ones.…”