Fresh Tomato Research Articles

Sustainable agri-food supply chain planning through multi-objective optimisation

ABSTRACT Farms usually plan the planting and harvest of crops independently and without considering the plans of the rest of supply chain (SC) members. This generates large imbalances between crops' supply and demand in markets, as well as significant price fluctuations. Shifting how crop production is planned to joint SC decision-making would offer significant advantages in preserving agricultural SC sustainability. This paper explores this idea by proposing a multi-objective optimisation model for planning the planting, cultivation, harvesting, storage, packaging, transport, labouring, and sale of fresh crops. The tool considers five objectives aligned with sustainability: maximising SC profits (economic), minimising waste (environmental), minimising unsatisfied demand (social), maximising sold crops' freshness (environmental and social), and minimising economic injustice perceived by farmers (social). The tool is validated through its application to the La Plata fresh tomato SC case study in Argentina and it is shown how the tool could be used by real decision-maker(s).

Environmental efficiency in greenhouse tomato production using soilless farming technology

The environmental efficiency of agricultural production and the relationship between management type and monetary value of achieving environmental efficiency are important parameters to assess the competitiveness of farms. The objectives of the study were to (i) estimate the environmental efficiency of greenhouse tomato farms, (ii) explore the determinants of the environmental efficiency level of greenhouse tomato farms, and (iii) calculate the monetary value of providing less greenhouse gas emission (GHG) and effective waste management in greenhouse tomato farms. The research data were obtained from 42 professional and 55 semi-professional greenhouse farms producing tomatoes using soilless farming technology in Turkey by using questionnaires. The environmental impact of tomato production was assessed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The environmental efficiency was estimated by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and the Tobit model was used to elicit the determinants of environmental efficiency. The results showed that 1.72 kg CO2-equivalents of GHG were emitted for 1 kg fresh tomatoes from the cradle to the farm gate, and 1753.1 tons of organic waste were generated. The average environmental efficiency score of the greenhouse farms was 0.86, while the score was higher for professional farms and glass greenhouses. The results also revealed that the monetary value of GHG reduction and composting of all organic wastes in the greenhouse tomato farms were 1037.14 and 5700 US dollars, respectively. The values were higher for the professional greenhouse farms and glass greenhouses. The variables of education level of farmers, the size of glass greenhouses, net income, waste recycling investment, environmental knowledge level of farmers, and presence of green production practices positively affected the environmental efficiency. The findings suggest that awareness, extension, and training activities should be organized to reduce the farm-level negative impact of environmental inefficiency. Shifting from a static cost impact paradigm to a dynamic environmental management paradigm in greenhouse tomato farms may improve environmental efficiency, especially in semi-professional farms, and increase the competitive power of greenhouse farms.

First report on molecular identification of Fusarium species causing fruit rot of mandarin ( Citrus reticulata) in Bangladesh.

Background: Fusarium rot is a newly introduced, devastating disease of citrus fruits. The current investigation was undertaken to characterize the microbes responsible for fruit rot in Citrus reticulata. Methods: Pathogens were isolated from infected citrus fruits using morphological and molecular approaches. For confirmation of the isolated fungi, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and internal transcribed spacer gene sequencing techniques were used. Results: The isolated fungus was grown on potato dextrose agar for three days and it produced clamydospores, hyphae and macroconidia. PCR amplification of isolated fungal DNA gave a 650 bp product. The sequence obtained from isolated fungi had 99.42% similarity with the reference Fusarium concentricum sequence in NCBI GenBank. The obtained sequence was deposited in GenBank (Accession No. MT856371). Two isolates showed virulence capability on fresh guava, sweet orange and tomato fruits, which confirmed species identification and Koch's postulates. Artificially inoculated fungal species grown on tested fruits showed typical Fusarium species symptoms. Conclusions: Outcomes of the present study are beneficial for the detection of this detrimental disease in postharvest Citrus reticulata fruits. Further research is needed for the control of this economically important disease. This is the first study of fruit rot in Citrus reticulata caused by Fusarium in Bangladesh.

Detection of tomato water stress based on terahertz spectroscopy.

China's tomato cultivation area is nearly 15 thousand km2, and its annual tomato output is about 55 million tons, accounting for 7% of its total vegetable production. Because of the high drought sensitivity of tomatoes, water stress inhibits their nutrient uptake, leading to a decrease in tomato quality and yield. Therefore, the rapid, accurate and non-destructive detection of water status is important for scientifically and effectively managing tomato water and fertilizer, improving the efficiency of water resource utilization, and safeguarding tomato yield and quality. Because of the extreme sensitivity of terahertz spectroscopy to water, we proposed a tomato leaf moisture detection method based on terahertz spectroscopy and made a preliminary exploration of the relationship between tomato water stress and terahertz spectral data. Tomato plants were grown at four levels of water stress. Fresh tomato leaves were sampled at fruit set, moisture content was calculated, and spectral data were collected through a terahertz time-domain spectroscope. The raw spectral data were smoothed using the Savitzky-Golay algorithm to reduce interference and noise. Then the data were divided by the Kennard-Stone algorithm and the sample set was partitioned based on the joint X-Y distance (SPXY) algorithm into a calibration set and a prediction set at a ratio of 3:1. SPXY was found to be the better approach for sample division. On this basis, the stability competitive adaptive re-weighted sampling algorithm was used to extract the feature frequency bands of moisture content, and a multiple linear regression model of leaf moisture content was established under the single dimensions of power, absorbance and transmittance. The absorbance model was the best, with a prediction set correlation coefficient of 0.9145 and a root mean square error of 0.1199. To further improve the modeling accuracy, we used a support vector machine (SVM) to establish a tomato moisture fusion prediction model based on the fusion of three-dimensional terahertz feature frequency bands. As water stress intensified, the power and absorbance spectral values both declined, and both were significantly and negatively correlated with leaf moisture content. The transmittance spectral value increased gradually with the intensification of water stress, showing a significant positive correlation. The SVM-based three-dimensional fusion prediction model showed a prediction set correlation coefficient of 0.9792 and a root mean square error of 0.0531, indicating that it outperformed the three single-dimensional models. Hence, terahertz spectroscopy can be applied to the detection of tomato leaf moisture content and provides a reference for tomato moisture detection.

Development and characterization of starch‑sodium alginate-montmorillonite biodegradable antibacterial films

The biodegradable antibacterial composite film blended with starch and sodium alginate was developed by solution casting method, using montmorillonite as the fortifier and star anise oil as the bacteriostat. Infrared analysis showed that montmorillonite and star anise oil were successfully incorporated into starch and sodium alginate to form a stable composite film. The addition of 6 wt% montmorillonite could enhance several properties of the films, including barrier properties, optical properties, thermal stability and mechanical properties. Meanwhile, the incorporation of star anise oil made the composite films have antibacterial properties to resist E. coli. Packing cherry tomatoes with starch‑sodium alginate-montmorillonite-star anise oil composite film could reduce the weight loss rate and decay rate of fresh cherry tomatoes. Soil burial experiments showed that the composite films exhibited a continuous biodegradation process. The starch‑sodium alginate-montmorillonite-star anise oil films decomposed into little pieces and were completely mixed in the soil within 22 days, which offered an application foreground for the development of biodegradable food packaging film with bacteriostatic activity.

Numerical analysis of coupled heat and mass transfer processes in packaged tomatoes throughout the cold chain

This study simulated the heat- and mass-transfer characteristics of fresh tomatoes by developing a computational fluid dynamics model. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) for the tomato temperature were 0.579 °C and 3.89%, respectively, and the RMSE and MAPE for the tomato mass loss were 0.737 g and 9.87%, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of different cold chain breaking (CCB) parameters on fluctuations in tomato temperature and mass loss were quantified by a sensitivity analysis. The results indicate that CCB increases the tomato temperature and moisture loss compared with an uninterrupted cold chain, especially for the tomato moisture loss during the second CCB because of the irreversibility and superposition of this negative effect. Furthermore, CCB would increase the inhomogeneity of the temperature distribution of packaged tomatoes but significantly reduce the inhomogeneity of tomato mass loss. Additionally, tomato temperature fluctuations are less sensitive to changes in relative humidity during the CCB process, and the sensitivity between them is almost two orders of magnitude less than the sensitivity of other CCB parameters. However, the loss of tomato mass proved to depend most strongly on variations in relative humidity and the least on variations in the CCB temperature.

Antioxidant Activity of Tomato Powder Dehydrated at Different Temperatures

In this scientific research, tomato powder was obtained from two tomato varieties, Pink rock and Big beef, by drying in a dehydrator at two temperatures, namely 50 and 75 °C. The results showed that tomato powder is very rich in phytochemicals, such as lycopene, vitamin C, total phenols. The highest content of vitamin C (mg/100 g of dry matter) was in fresh tomatoes compared to tomato powder, because vitamin C is thermolabile. On the other hand, the highest content of total phenols was 62.916 mg/100 g dry matter, lycopene whose value was 66.6 mg/100 mg, FRAP 4868.75 ?mol Fe/100 g sample in tomato powder dried at 75 °C. Therefore, it can be concluded that tomato powder is rich in antioxidants and that it is recommended in the diet of people when the weather conditions are not suitable for the consumption of fresh tomatoes.

Effect of Drying Temperature on Physicochemical Characteristics of Tomato Powder

Tomato powder is produced by dehydrating tomatoes. The powder consists of only one ingredient, it represents the specificity of this product, namely dehydrated natural tomatoes. Among other things, drying as a preservation process is considered one of the best methods, because it ensures ease of use, transportation and storage. As part of the canning and processing of fruits and especially vegetables, tomato products have always occupied a very important place due to the organoleptic and culinary properties of these products, and the nutritional value of tomatoes as a raw material. Compared to other types of vegetables, tomatoes have a high yield, with some varieties even over 90%.The most important factor in tomato dehydration is the dehydration temperature as well as the time interval during which the dehydration process is carried out. In the dehydration process, two varieties of fresh tomatoes from the local market were used, which were dehydrated at temperatures of 50 and 75 °C. In parallel, a comparative physicochemical analysis of fresh tomato samples with dehydrated ground samples of tomato powder was performed. All analyzes in this research work were edited three times, and the mean value was used to display the graphical results.

Effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of fresh strawberries and tomatoes.

This research presents the effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of strawberries and quartered tomatoes and compares it with the effect of the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. A constant UV-C dose of 360 J/m2 was used for the samples' irradiation, and all the vacuum-sealed samples were stored at a reduced pressure of 40kPa. Organoleptic analysis, microbial population quantification of yeast and mold, Pseudomonas sp., weight loss, and pH measurements were obtained to identify the spoilage occurrence, monitor the samples' quality, and quantify the shelf life. Sensory evaluation was conducted by 12 consumer panelists to evaluate the aroma, taste, color, texture, and the overall acceptance of the samples. The results revealed that the combination of UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing prolongs the shelf life of perishables more than the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. The achieved shelf-life increase using this combination was 124.41% and 54.41% for strawberries and quartered tomatoes, respectively, while acceptable sensory characteristics were maintained throughout the storage period. Hence, this food preservation method can be further improved and integrated in the daily life of modern consumers and the operations of fresh produce retailers, as it could effectively reduce the spoilage rates of fresh produce and help achieve the UN SDG 12.3, which aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030 at the consumer and retail levels. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The system can be further developed and introduced to the market as a kitchen appliance for households or as a predistribution step for fresh produce distribution centers. The shelf-life extension capability of this system, which does not involve any use of chemical substances, would make it an attractive solution for households and food retailers.

The Impact of Various LED Light Spectra on Tomato Preservation

Major losses of fresh tomatoes happen during post-harvest storage due to prompt senescence and diseases. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effects of different spectra of LED lights on the post-harvest preservation of ascorbic acid, lycopene, and total soluble solids, the weight and size of tomato fruits, as well as to determine the optimal exposure time and distance of irradiation and extension of shelf-life. Therefore, experiments were carried out in a climate chamber with shelves equipped with three different light spectra: red light-emitting diodes, red–blue–white light-emitting diodes, and ultraviolet-light-emitting diodes. Light treatment had a certain positive effect on the firmness, size, and mass of samples. Thus, tomato fruits (Panekra) exposed to the spectra of LED lights demonstrated a better quality of firmness and mass compared to the control samples (non-preserved) of tomatoes. The treatments with RL significantly improved the concentration of lycopene than FL and UV-LED lights, although the highest concentration of lycopene was observed in the control samples for the first 7 days of the storage. After 21 days, the ascorbic acid content in the red spectrum was found to be much higher than in the other two spectra and control samples, coming in at about 1.8 mg/100 mL compared to 1.0 mg/100 mL for the control samples. Total soluble solids also increased significantly after preservation, rising from 3.9 °Brix in the control samples to roughly 7.3 °Brix in samples preserved using the full spectrum after 21 days. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated that tomato preservation using the investigated techniques induced lycopene concentration, ascorbic acid, and total soluble solids concentrations. The results derived from this study provide highly useful information in the field of post-harvest preservation.

Minimalno prerađen paradajz pomoću jednostavno razvijenog uređaja za filtraciju - obična so i biljno ulje mogu očuvati koncentrat paradajza

In attempt to produce and preserve tomato concentrate, without destroying some useful nutrients, in a rural area where there is no electricity, a minimal processing method is necessary. In this study, a simple filtration unit was developed. Fresh tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) (3.50 kg) were bought, cleaned and blended. Initial moisture content (MC) of the slurry (3.0 g) was determined and 3.0 kg slurry filtered. The amounts of concentrate, filtrate and filtration period were noted. Initial MC of the concentrate was also found. A mixture of concentrate (200 g), vegetable oil (30 ml) and salt (12.0 g) was prepared for preservation as sample A. This was re-prepared but with 10.0 and 8.0 g of salt as samples B and C. pH, colour and lycopene content of the test samples were found before and during preservation at a week-interval for 2 months in duplicates. The results showed that the initial MC of the fresh tomato / slurry and concentrate were 93.5 and 73.3%, respectively. Test sample pH before preservation was 4.22. Sample A recorded 18.79% decrease in pH while B and C had 9.2% and 54% increase in pH, respectively. Visual observation after 8th week of preservation showed that the tomato concentrate was still reddish but colour change (∆E) from the colorimeter revealed that sample A had the least value of 6.09 while B and C were 7.31 and 8.53, respectively. Initial lycopene concentration was 14.11 mg /100 g product. After preservation, Sample A had the least decrease (19.63%) compared to sample B (29.91% decrease) and sample C (33.3% decrease). Hence, common salt (12.0 g) and vegetable oil (30 ml) were able to maintain the acid content and minimize the reduction in lycopene content in the tomato concentrate.

Estimation of Thermodynamic Parameters for Better Conservation of Fresh Tomato (<i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i>)

Knowledge of the state of water balance of agro-food products is an essential step in drying or storage operations for preservation. Our study made it possible to determine the thermodynamic parameters which influence the storage conditions of fresh tomatoes grown in the south of Benin; and to predict its hygroscopic behavior during post-harvest storage. The desorption isotherms obtained at 40℃, 50℃ and 60℃, by the static gravimetric method using saturated saline solutions, are compared with those of the theoretical models of Brunauer, Emmet and Teller (BET), SMITH, PELEG and Guggenheim-Anderson-Boer (GAB). An adjustment of the experimental points, on the theoretical models, was made thanks to the numerical method which exploits the fminsearch algorithm under the MATLAB software, version R2018a. The GAB model at 50℃ faithfully reproduces the experimental desorption curves for water activities from 5.5% to 82.3%. The net isosteric heat of sorption was determined using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, it increases when the degree of dehydration of the product increases. The applied isokinetic theory and enthalpy-entropy compensation are consistent.

Consumer preferences for produce grown with reduced pesticides: a choice experiment in Missouri

Abstract There have been growing concerns about exposure to chemical pesticides in fresh fruits and vegetables, which are an important part of a healthy diet. This study investigates consumer preferences for reduced pesticide, organic, local, and Missouri Grown produce using a discrete choice experiment. An online survey of fresh tomato consumers was conducted in Missouri to collect choice data, demographic information, and the individual health and environmental attitudes of shoppers. Respondents were willing to pay a premium of 6% for tomatoes produced with 50% less pesticide than conventional tomatoes. The finding indicates there may be a demand for reduced pesticide produce as a compromise between conventional and organic products in terms of price and safety. Also, we found complementary effects between the reduced pesticide attribute and local or Missouri Grown labels, which means consumers in this segment would pay more for fruits and vegetables that were also locally produced. The results suggest important implications for local producers and policy makers in terms of the production and marketing of reduced pesticide produce, such as the need to develop a reduced pesticide label.

Percepção de risco e análise sensorial de tomates frescos provenientes de feira livre em São Paulo, Brasil

ABSTRACT The nutritional and sensory qualities of tomatoes favor their acceptance worldwide. This study was carried out to evaluate the risk perception of agrochemical and sensory residue in tomato consumption. Thus, 12 kg of organic tomatoes (OT) and 12 kg of conventional tomatoes (CT) at an equal maturation stage were selected. R version 3.6.1 was applied to the analysis of physical and chemical variables. The Mann-Whitney test with a value of p<0.05 was used to verify associations between the groups. The sensory evaluation involved 37 volunteers and considered the mean answers of each question about the perception of fresh tomatoes. The OT presented about 13% more ascorbic acid in relation to CT, but there was no significant difference between them (p>0.05). OT detected higher values for pH, soluble solids (ºBrix) and titratable acidity, but there were no significant differences between them (p>0.05). Chlorfenapir residues below the Acceptable Daily Intake (IDA) value (0.03 mg/kg per capita) were detected, indicating a low risk of acute toxicity. Chlorfenapir is banned in Europe, but remains detected in Brazil. Public policies are needed to encourage sustainable food production.

Can we simultaneously decontaminate and cultivate? An urban cherry tomato story

AbstractUrban planners are increasingly focused on integrating urban farming as a creative strategy for producing sustainable, local food in underutilized spaces, once occupied by polluting industries, in peri‐urban areas. However, before urban farming's contribution to local self‐sufficiency can be determined, it is crucial to gather quantitative data on the effectiveness of tailored strategies, including polyculture, and the suitability of different vegetables, to adequately assess the value of brownfields. This study aims to provide quantitative agronomic data on a copper‐contaminated urban garden with the dual objective of assessing its capacity for food production and mitigating the spread of soil contamination. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants were grown for one growing season in brownfield soils with different copper concentrations (up to 2000 mg kg−1), accompanied by different plant species assemblages typically used in phytoremediation (Achillea millefolium, Salix discolor, and Trifolium repens). The most successful assemblage yielded over 800 fruits per square meter with low copper concentrations (<5 mg kg−1), indicating that one square meter could satisfy the annual fresh tomato weight requirement of an average individual. Although some amendments can improve adaptability to local soils, the highest fruit‐producing assemblage consisting of S. lycopersicum, S. discolor, and T. repens also proved to be the one of the most effective for copper phytoextraction, removing over 30 g ha−1 from the contaminated soils. Overall, the data indicated that all assemblages phytostabilized copper. The quantitative results of this study provide a valuable benchmark for urban planners and researchers to implement large‐scale urban agriculture on brownfield sites.

Technological and Organoleptic Properties of Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) Produced on Soilless Substrates in Daloa (Haut Sassandra Region, Côte d'Ivoire)

The present study was carried out to characterise tomatoes produced on soilless substrates (cocoa, sawdust, cashew and rice husk) and to evaluate their impact on the technological and organoleptic characteristics of the tomato. A tomato crop was grown on these different substrates for three months. The tomato fruits from each substrate were subjected to chemical, technological and sensory analysis. The tomatoes of the different substrates have a high water content (94.83- 96.37%). Regarding the technological properties, the results recorded are for saccharin index (1.15%), saccharin coefficient (121.5%) and acidity coefficient (8.29%). The sensory study of the tomatoes reveals that the tasters perceived sensory differences between the tomatoes. Their overall perception of the tomatoes confirms their good acceptability. Also taste, colour, shape and consistency are important criteria of fresh tomatoes. At the end of this study, it was found that the C100 substrate presented the best physicomorphological parameters. Technologically, tomatoes from the RB5050 and B100 substrates can be recommended for industrial processing.

Breeding tomatoes suitable for processing with triple disease resistance to tomato leaf curl disease, bacterial wilt and early blight

India is the second largest producer of tomato with 11 per cent global share and cultivated on an estimated area of 0.76 million hectares with productivity of 24 tonnes per hectare. Less than 1% of the produce is processed when compared to 26% in other major producing countries. Of the estimated more than 41 million tonnes of tomato processed globally, only 130,000 tonnes were processed in India and domestic demand for processed tomato products is expanding at an estimated 30% annually. At present traditional fresh market tomato cultivars are being processed though such cultivars are unsuitable for processing. Processors in India are looking for high yielding tomato cultivars with high total soluble solids (5-6 º Brix), acidity not less than 0.4%, pH less than 4.5 and uniform red colour with a/b colour value of at least 2. In addition, firm fruited tomato cultivars with joint less pedicel (j2) which facilitate mechanical harvesting or rapid hand picking. ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research has recently developed two high yielding F1 hybrids in tomato viz: Arka Apeksha and Arka Vishesh suitable for processing. On evaluation for three years, both the hybrids recorded good level of total soluble solids (4.5-5º Brix) and colour value of 2. Further, both the hybrids had high yield potential (80-90 tonnes / hectare) with triple disease resistance to tomato leaf curl disease, bacterial wilt and early blight. Arka Apeksha and Arka Vishesh were also bred with jointless pedicel making them suitable for mechanical harvesting. Our experimental studies on vine storability revealed that all the fruits were intact on plants even 110 days after transplanting in the main field facilitating once over harvest.

Vigorous rootstocks improve yields and increase fruit sizes in grafted fresh market tomatoes

Grafting high yielding tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L.) onto vigorous rootstocks can increase marketable yields, but questions remain regarding optimal cultural and growing conditions such as pinching and plant spacing. This study addressed some of the dynamics between grafted plants and cultural practices. Two scions, ‘Tasti-Lee’ (TL) and ‘Mountain Fresh Plus’ (MFP) were grafted onto each of three rootstocks, ‘Beaufort’, ‘Arnold’, and ‘Shield’. Plants were pinched (removal of main shoot to induce both axillary shoots to grow) or non-pinched, and spaced at 56 or 61 cm. All 32 grafted treatments were compared to the grower standard: non-grafted TL and MFP spaced at 46 cm, which were non-pinched. Fruit quality traits including soluble solids content, pH, lycopene concentration, and titratable acidity were recorded for fruit harvested from tomatoes grafted onto ‘Arnold’, ‘Beaufort’, ‘Shield’ and non-grafted TL. The overall effect of grafting TL and MFP onto vigorous rootstocks ‘Arnold’, ‘Beaufort’, and ‘Fortamino’ increased marketable yields per hectare by 24-35% compared to non-grafted grower standards. The rootstock ‘Shield’ did not significantly increase yields with either scion. TL had a more positive response to grafting than MFP. ‘Arnold’, ‘Beaufort’, and ‘Fortamino’ significantly increased TL fruit size, but the fruit size results were not as significantly impacted by graft treatments for MFP. Plants spaced at 56 compared to 61 cm generated similar yields. Pinched plants significantly increased yields over non-pinched plants by 15% in 2018 but did not impact yield in 2017. No consistent difference was observed between pinched and non-pinched plants with regard to fruit size, only plants grafted with ‘Shield’ benefited significantly from being pinched. Soluble solids content, pH, total lycopene concentration, and titratable acidity differed slightly between grafted and non-grafted plants but was unlikely to positively or negatively affect overall perception of fruit quality in tomatoes. A partial budget analysis revealed that grafting with ‘Arnold’ or ‘Beaufort’ consistently increased profits in this low-disease field.

Multitiered Fresh Produce Supply Chain: The Case of Tomatoes

The United States is one of the world’s top producers of fresh tomatoes. However, the industry supply chain is not well understood with little attention in the literature. To attend to this literature gap and to better inform business decisions and policy making, it is crucial to understand the industry structure on a deeper level. Applying a supply chain mapping approach, this study presents a complete picture of the U.S. fresh tomato supply chain with valuable insights into the fresh produce industry and lays the groundwork for future research on solving supply chain issues.

Salmonella transfer potential between tomatoes and cartons used for distribution

Corrugated fiberboard boxes (cartons) can be reused during fresh market tomato packing and repacking. The fate of Salmonella on the new, used, and dirty tomato packaging cartons, and Salmonella transfer between tomatoes and new, used, and dirty packaging cartons was assessed. Mature green tomatoes or blank cartons were spot inoculated with cocktail of rifampicin-resistant Salmonella strains before touching cartons/tomatoes at 0, 1, or 24 h postinoculation. Tomatoes were placed on new, used, and dirty carton squares (5 by 5 cm) for 0, 1, and 7 days of contact at 12°C and 25°C with a relative humidity value of 85%. Transfer coefficients (TCs) were calculated for all conditions. Salmonella populations decreased following inoculation by 2–3 log units during 24 h drying regardless of storage temperature; the presence of debris enhanced survival at 12°C. In general, the highest transfer rates occurred with wet inoculum. The highest Salmonella transfer was calculated for wet inoculated tomatoes with 7 days of contact time at 25°C (TC = 14.7). Increasing contact time decreased TCs for new cartons, but increased TCs for used and dirty cartons. Regardless of carton condition or storage temperature, a greater population of Salmonella was transferred from tomatoes to cartons than from cartons to tomatoes. Salmonella transfer between tomatoes and cartons is highly dependent on moisture, with increased levels of moisture increasing transfer, highlighting the importance of harvesting and packing dry tomatoes.