Effect of maturity stage on quality and shelf life of tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill) using refrigerator storage system

Authors : John FAMUYİNİ, Olalusi AYOOLA PATRİCK, Adewale SEDARA

Pages : 23-44

View : 23 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2020-08-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Tomatoes insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill); are well known vegetable that contains vitamins, antioxidants and other health beneficial substances. This study evaluates quality insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(vitamin C, protein, fat, crude fibre, ash content, moisture content, carbohydrate, weight loss, firmness and antioxidant activity); and shelf- life of tomatoes under refrigerator storage method at 10oC using three maturity stages insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(breaking stage, pale red stage and light red stage); of ‘Beefmaster HYBRID VFNASt’ tomato varieties cultivated in a greenhouse, harvested and stored for 18 days. The physical qualities were determined during storage whilst antioxidant activity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(lycopene and carotenoid concentrations); was evaluated before and after 18 days of storage. The results obtained shows that before storage; tomatoes has high moisture content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(95.36%); and protein content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1.04%); at breaking stage, highest value of fat content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.59%); and crude fibre content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1.13%); was recorded at pale red stage, while the highest ash content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.43%);, carbohydrate insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3.17%);, carotenoid content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.3272 mg/g);, lycopene content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.7309 mg/g); and vitamin C content insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.1268 mg/g); was recorded at light red stage. An increase was observed in the antioxidant activities and proximate composition after 18 days of storage. The concentration of vitamin C content of tomato fruit after storage compare with the fresh sample is significantly insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.05); depends on maturity stages of the tomato fruit. The highest nutritional value insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(quality and shelf-life); was recorded for breaking stage. The results obtained also shows that carotenoid and vitamin C contents of the tomato fruits slight increase at the end of the storage period in breaking stage and this increase is significantly depends on maturity stage. It was observed that ripening stage has significant influence on the nutritional values which indicate that the ideal maturity stage to maintain optimal shelf life and nutritional quality is breaking stage of tomato fruit which is the most suitable for storage.
Keywords : Tomatoes, Maturity stages, Refrigerator system, Shelf life, Quality