Maturity stages affect nutritional quality and storability of tomato cultivars

Abstract

This research was conducted to identify the optimum harvest maturity stage/s that yielded the highest nutritional quality and longest marketable shelf-life. "TY Megaton" and "Yureka" cultivars were harvested at the breaker, pink, and red stages and stored up to 20 days at 12°C with 85 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). Quality attributes, the contents of important secondary metabolites, and antioxidant activity were assessed during the storage period. Storing and marketing of tomato fruits up to 3 weeks could be possible. However, a gradually decreasing trend of ascorbic acid and total phenolic content was observed as the maturity stage and storage period proceeded, irrespective of the cultivar. Results of lycopene content and antioxidant activity suggest that better nutritional benefit from the breaker and pink stages could be obtained after 16 and 12 days of storage, respectively, and from the beginning to eighth day of storage for the red stage.Las etapas de maduración afectan la calidad nutricional y la capacidad de almacenamiento de los cultivares de tomate RESUMEN La presente investigación se propuso identificar las etapas de maduración y cosecha de cultivares de tomate óptimas para obtener un producto de mayor calidad nutricional y mayor vida útil comercial. Con este objetivo se cosecharon los cultivares "TY Megaton" y "Yureka" en sus etapas de verde maduro, rosado y rojo, almacenándose posteriormente hasta 20 días a 12°C y a una humedad relativa (RH) de 85±5%. Durante el periodo de almacenamiento se valoraron los atributos de calidad, los contenidos de metabolitos secundarios importantes y la actividad antioxidante. Tras este proceso se determinó que los tomates pueden ser almacenados y comercializados durante un periodo máximo de tres semanas. Sin embargo, a medida que transcurrían las etapas de maduración y continuaba el periodo de almacenamiento se observó que, sin importar el cultivar, el ácido ascórbico y el contenido fenólico total tendieron a disminuir. Los registros tomados del contenido de licopeno y la actividad antioxidante sugieren que puede obtenerse mayor beneficio nutricional de las etapas verde maduro y rosado después de 16 y 12 días de almacenamiento, respectivamente, y desde el primero hasta el octavo día de almacenamiento para la etapa rojo.

Effect of High Tunnel Coverings on Antioxidants of Breaker and Light Red Tomatoes at Harvest and during Ripening

“…The β-carotene values were 41.7 to 48.1 µg/g DW, which is consistent with values reported in the literature [69]. The lycopene values were 12.7 to 16.2 µg/g DW, which is consistent with values reported in the literature [9,70]. However, neither compound differed between coverings.…”

“…The lycopene content of the fruit harvested at the breaker stage increased throughout storage, as past studies have shown with breaker fruit stored at 12 • C [70]. While the β-carotene did not alter significantly between maturity stages.…”

Transcriptome Analysis of Pre-Storage 1-MCP and High CO2-Treated ‘Madoka’ Peach Fruit Explains the Reduction in Chilling Injury and Improvement of Storage Period by Delaying Ripening

“…CI was assessed visually, and the CI index was calculated according to the method described by Lee [ 10 ]. Peach fruit firmness was measured by a Rheo meter (Sun Scientific Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) from 10 fruit, two measurements per fruit, by a puncture at the equator with a maximum force of 10 kg and a 3 mm diameter round stainless steel probe with a flat end, as stated by Tilahun et al [ 46 ]. PG activity and quantification of pectin were made following the methods described by Tilahun et al [ 47 ].…”

Nondestructive estimation of three apple fruit properties at various ripening levels with optimal Vis-NIR spectral wavelength regression data

“…Spectral data of samples were acquired by Vis-NIR spectroscopy and a determination coefficient of 0.8 was achieved for predicting the SSC. Tilahun et al (2018) predicted beta-carotene and lycopene in tomato cultivars by NIR and chromatography spectra. More than two hundred tomato fruit samples were used at three ripening levels.…”