Quality parameters of tomatoes submitted to different doses of gamma radiation

Ana Carolina Loro,Marta Helena Fillet Spoto,Victor Wilson Botteon

doi:10.1590/1981-6723.16817

Ana Carolina Loro, Marta Helena Fillet Spoto + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-6723.16817

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Abstract

Abstract Ionizing radiation can be used for different purposes in the food industry. In this study, the effect of irradiation doses (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kGy) on the quality parameters of long life tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), was evaluated during 4 storage periods (1, 7, 14 and 21 days). The different treatments were evaluated by analysing for colour, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), ratio (TSS/TTA), hardness, total lycopene and ascorbic acid contents, weight loss and maturation stage (O2 /CO2 ratio) for all the storage periods. The tomato samples were irradiated in a Co60 irradiator and maintained at 22 °C ± 1 °C. The quality of the tomato fruits was influenced by the gamma radiation basically by making the fruits softer and not degrading the ascorbic acid and lycopene contents at the doses evaluated. The irradiation process used in the doses evaluated was promising with respect to maintaining the quality parameters of long life tomatoes.

Highlights

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a fruit with great commercial importance, considered one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in the world (CAMARGO; CAMARGO FILHO, 2008) and Brazil is one of the largest producers according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2015).Brazilian production was 4.29 million tons in 2014 and was estimated at 3.46 million tons for 2015 (IBGE, 2015)
This study aimed to verify the effects of different doses of γ-radiation on the quality parameters of long life tomatoes during 21 days of storage, aiming to determine viable doses that do not compromise the quality of the final product or offer risks to consumer health
Regarding luminosity (L*), a parameter which goes from 0 to 100 and indicates brightness, the results for all radiation doses were higher in the first period for all treatments, differing in comparison with the last storage period (p < 0.05) (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a fruit with great commercial importance, considered one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in the world (CAMARGO; CAMARGO FILHO, 2008) and Brazil is one of the largest producers according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2015).Brazilian production was 4.29 million tons in 2014 and was estimated at 3.46 million tons for 2015 (IBGE, 2015). The irradiation process can improve the quality of the tomatoes and maintain an extended shelf life, besides promoting a reduction in the microbial load and the disinfestation of pests (FARKAS; MOHÁCSI-FARKAS, 2011). One of the major problems affecting the tomato crop is its short shelf life due to oxygen absorption resulting in physicochemical changes, with post-harvest losses of around 21% in the production chain and 25% to 40% in the horticultural sector (RINALDI et al, 2011). Food irradiation technology appears as an alternative to reduce losses and improve post-harvest handling, in addition to contributing to quality maintenance and food safety, with studies aiming to achieve the proposed goals without incurring significant change in the sensory and nutritional parameters (MOHÁCSI-FARKAS et al, 2014)

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