Harvest Maturity and Acceptability of Flora-Dade Tomatoes

Abstract

Composition and sensory acceptability of fresh market tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill ‘Flora-Dade’) were investigated to determine the influence of harvest maturity on quality after fruit had ripened to a tableripe stage. Tomatoes were harvested from commercial plots at ‘immature green’, ‘mature green’, ‘breaker’, ‘light pink’, and ‘light red’. The differentiation between tomatoes harvested ‘mature green’ and ‘immature green’ was aided by application of 40 μl/liter of ethylene in a ripening room at 20°C. Tomatoes harvested at ‘breaker’ were more acceptable when ripe than all other maturities at harvest. Tomatoes harvested at ‘immature green’, ‘mature green’, ‘light pink’, and ‘light red’ were of similar sensory acceptability. The tomatoes harvested at ‘light pink’ and ‘light red’ when ripe were similar or lower in total soluble solids and generally lower in locular content compared to other harvest maturities. There was a high correlation between sensory scores for color and measured external and internal color.