An Investigation of Some Important Storage Parameters in Acidified Bulk Storage of Tomatoes

Acidified bulk storage of tomatoes at a pH of approximately 1.3 was used to store whole tomatoes without spoilage for up to 4 months. Storage treatments of time and temperature lead to concurrent off flavor and brown color development which was presumed to be at least partially due to container oxygen permeability problems. Best quality in this study was found after storage at lowered temperatures. When unpeeled tomatoes were stored, they softened during storage and did not remain whole upon subsequent peeling. Heat peeled whole tomatoes stored in tomato juice gave the best storage quality of any treatment combinations used. The major problem experienced with this storage method was non-microbial chemical deterioration of product quality after storage.