Gloss Properties and Surface Morphology Relationships of Fruits

Eggplants exhibited a higher average gloss reading (15.3 Gloss Units (GU)) than mature green tomatoes (12.0 GU) and apples (8.2 GU) using a flat surface glossmeter. The same trend was observed using a novel curved surface glossmeter. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that epicuticular wax covering eggplants had a smoother structure than that of tomatoes and apples, providing a more effective light scattering surface. Wax removal resulted in decreases in gloss, with average readings of 9.5, 7.4 and 6.3 GU for eggplants, tomatoes and apples, respectively. These results indicate the extent to which wax may influence shininess, although roughness measurements of flattened peel after wax removal suggest that surface topography also influences gloss.     

A comparative study of the physico‐chemical properties affecting the organoleptic quality of fresh and thermally treated yellow tomato ecotype fruit

In recent years, yellow commercial tomatoes have attracted great interest from consumers. The goal of this work was to characterise the parameters of three yellow genotypes that affect the fruit quality, in comparison with those of a red fruit genotype. Compared to the other genotypes, the GiaGiù ecotype was characterised as having the highest titratable acidity, organic acids content and pectin content before and after a thermal treatment simulating industrial pasteurisation. Most of the analysed parameters influence the taste and aroma of fresh fruit and processed products, particularly the high glutamic acid content measured in the GiaGiù ecotype. This genotype was also distinctive for its higher pectin content, which influences the texture. These features might allow the development of new food products that require a specific viscosity, such as sauces and ketchup. Interestingly, the beneficial properties of GiaGiù were preserved after thermal processing.     

Aciduric, pH-Elevating Bacillus which Cause Noneffervescent Spoilage of Underprocessed Tomatoes

In the preliminary phase of this study, a selective isolation medium was developed. Using the new medium, 24 strains of Bacillus Spp. that elevate tomato juice pH were isolated from garden soil or natural vegetative materials. Two jars of home-canned, water-bathed tomatoes contained sporeformers which produced noneffervescent spoilage. All strains were morphologically and physiologically different from 2 flat-sour strains of B. coagulans and B. licheniformis strains, but similar to a previous isolate from home-canned, spoiled green beans that elevated pH. The new medium may have future applications in isolation and enumeration of other acidurics including yeast-like microorganisms.     

Comparison of optical and physical measurements with sensory assessment of the ripeness of tomato fruit Lycopersicon esculentum

Knowledge of the inter-relationships among objective physical and optical measurements and their relation with sensory perception of foods can be applied to improve quality control and consumer acceptance. Changes in the optical and mechanical properties of tomatoes were found to be related to the perceived ripeness of the fruit over a storage period. The sensory attributes and instrumental parameters significant in the assessment of ripening tomatoes were translucency, green, orange, lightness, hue and chroma. The chromatic co-ordinate a^* was significantly correlated with the mechanical modulus of the fruit, which in turn was inversely related to ripening associated with colour changes from green to red. It is feasible that mechanical and optical data may be combined to provide an on-line system for the evaluation of ripeness of tomato fruit.     

Effects of Tomato and Soy Germ on Lipid Bioaccumulation and Atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− Mice

Dietary patterns with cardiovascular benefits have been recommended, but the relative contributions of individual foods and food components, alone or in combination, remain undefined. Male ApoE^?/? mice were fed either a purified AIN‐93G control diet, a Western diet (WD), or a WD with 10% tomato powder (TP), 2% soy germ (SG), or the combination, for 4 wk (n = 10 per group). Plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured with enzymatic colorimetric kits, and serum amyloid A (SAA) was measured by ELISA. Liver lipids were extracted with chloroform:methanol, and triglycerides, free and esterified cholesterol measured with enzymatic colorimetric kits. Expression of Cyp27a1, Cyp7a1, Abcg5, and Abcg8 in the liver was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Sections of the aortic root and aorta were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to assess extent of atherosclerotic lesions. WD‐fed animals had greater liver and adipose weights, plasma cholesterol and SAA, hepatic lipids, and atherosclerosis than AIN‐93G animals. TP and SG did not decrease atherosclerosis as measured by H&E‐stained sections of the aortic root, aortic arch, and descending aorta. The TP diets further increased plasma cholesterol, but also led to increased expression of the Abcg5/8 transporters involved in cholesterol efflux. Addition of SG alone to the WD attenuated WD‐induced increases in plasma cholesterol, liver lipids, and gonadal adipose weight. The results of this study do not support the use of either TP or SG for reduction of atherosclerosis, but suggest some beneficial effects of SG on lipid metabolism in this model of cardiovascular disease.     

Tomatine,chlorophyll, β‐carotene and lycopene content in tomatoes during growth and maturation

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants synthesise nutrients, pigments and secondary metabolites. These include the green pigment chlorophyll, the yellow pigment β‐carotene, the red pigment lycopene and the colourless glycoalkaloid α‐tomatine. The levels of these compounds are strongly influenced by the maturity of the tomatoes. Widely consumed Japanese tomato varieties Momotaro, Momotaro‐T93 and First Memory at five different stages of ripeness, each harvested at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 days after flowering of the plants, were analysed for the contents of these compounds. Additionally, tomato clusters from different locations along the vine on the same plant were also evaluated. The results show that chlorophyll and tomatine concentrations decrease rapidly during the growth of the tomatoes. By contrast, β‐carotene and lycopene levels are low in immature and high in mature tomatoes. The location of the tomato clusters and tomato variety did not significantly affect these results. The possible usefulness of these results to optimise health‐promoting effects of tomatoes is discussed. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Prediction of visual surface quality of industrially peeled tomatoes, based on their internal appearance when fresh

A simple, rapid method is presented for examining samples of fresh tomatoes and estimating the proportion of the consignment which can be expected to have a suitable surface colour after peeling. Sorting by the colour of lateral and longitudinal sections can result in an increase in the relative yield of the suitably surface-coloured peeled product, but at the cost of a decrease in total output.     

Seasonal chemical–physical changes of PGI Pachino cherry tomatoes detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to study the variations of internal structure and chemical–physical characteristics of cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Shiren), one the most economically valuable horticultural crops, in different harvesting seasons. In particular, the study focused on PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) Pachino cherry tomatoes, characterised by taste and nutritional value, notably in the winter production, amounting about 500 ton/year.