Study of commercial quality parameters, sugars, phenolics, carotenoids and plastids in different tomato varieties

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 277; pp. 480 - 489
• Main Authors: Coyago-Cruz, Elena, Corell, Mireia, Moriana, Alfonso, Mapelli-Brahm, Paula, Hernanz, Dolores, Stinco, Carla M., Beltrán-Sinchiguano, Elena, Meléndez-Martínez, Antonio J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 30.03.2019
• Subjects: Carotenoids - analysis; Chromoplasts; Color; Food Analysis; Food Quality; Functional foods; Lycopene - analysis; Lycopersicon esculentum - chemistry; Lycopersicon esculentum - classification; Phenols - analysis; Phytoene; Phytofluene; Plastids - chemistry; Sugars - analysis; Ultrastructure, transmission electron microscopy (TEM); Phytofluene; Chromoplasts; Functional foods; Ultrastructure, transmission electron microscopy (TEM); Phytoene
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.10.139

•Overall the commercial quality parameter values were lower in cherry varieties.•‘Cherry cereja’ showed the highest values of total sugars.•‘Green Zebra’ showed the highest levels of phenolics.•The highest lycopene levels were found in ‘Tigerella’.•The highest phytoene levels were found in ‘Orange’. The aim of this study was to assess commercial quality parameters, sugars, phenolics, carotenoids and plastid in diverse and little studied tomato varieties to gain insight into their commercial and functional quality and reveal possible noticeable differences. Five cherry tomato varieties and six common (i.e., non-cherry) tomatoes were evaluated. The highest levels of lycopene were detected in ‘Tigerella’ and ‘Byelsa’, and those of phytoene in ‘Orangeʾ, those of phenolics in ‘Green Zebra’, all of them common tomatoes. The levels of sugars in both groups of tomatoes were comparable. Interesting differences in plastid carotenoid-accumulating sub-structures as a function of the carotenoid profile were observed. Given the importance of chromoplasts in the deposition of carotenoids in plants and their release during digestion, this information can be valuable in investigations on the regulation of the biosynthesis and the bioavailability of tomato carotenoids.