Fresh Tomato Research Articles

Hygienic assessment of potassium intake from food

Aim. To assess the level of potassium intake among the adult population in Western Siberia.Materials and methods. The actual level of potassium intake from food products was assessed by surveying a representative sample of 441 adults in the Omsk region (Russia) using a questionnaire of food consumption frequency in 2019–2020.Results. The median daily potassium intake in the studied sample was 2620.9 mg/day (2005.97; 3456.10), which corresponded to the level of potassium intake in other Russian regions and other countries. This level was found to be significantly lower than that recommended by WHO. The share of adult population with a potassium consumption below physiological requirements in the Omsk region was 39.2 ± 2.3%. No significant differences were observed in potassium intake between men and women (except for the age group of 65 years and older), as well as between different age groups. The main potassium sources were established to be vegetables (37.8%), fruits (16.5%), potatoes (9.2%), fresh tomatoes (8.7%), fresh apples (8.0%), and soups (6.9%). An increase in age was associated with a decrease in potassium intake from confectionery and beverages. At the same time, the contribution of such food groups as ‘porridge and pasta’ and ‘fish and seafood’ increased. In women, vegetables and fruits made a slightly greater contribution as potassium sources. In men, these were bakery and meat products.Conclusion. Insufficient potassium intake among the large share of adult population in the Omsk region can be a significant risk factor in the development of arterial hypertension, which requires preventive measures.

Experimental and numerical study of tomatoes drying kinetics using solar dryer equipped with PVT air collector

The present work aims to develop a 3D numerical simulation that describes fresh tomatoes' heat- and mass-transfer characteristics using software COMSOL Multiphysics. Besides, a numerical study of the effect of drying parameters (drying temperature, Velocity of air drying and thickness of the slice) on the moisture content elimination from the tomato slice was realized. Also, an experimental study of the effect of the continuity and the discontinuity of the drying process on the water content vaporization is carried out. In contrast, the numerical simulation developed is validated by comparing the experimental data with the numerical results of the temperature distribution and mass transfer inside the tomato slice. The results show that the numerical simulation is agrees with the experimental tests. In addition, the results show that bacteria contamination appears in the tomato slice when the drying temperature decreases under 50 °C. The discontinuity of the drying process harms the quality of the dried product. Furthermore, the results show that the water evaporation rate in the thin slice was faster compared to the thick slice. Consequently, the drying time was reduced by 39 h when the thickness of the product was decreased from 33 mm to 10 mm. Also, the numerical simulation shows that moisture elimination is faster at higher drying air temperatures and increasing the drying air velocity leads to decrease drying time. The results show that the numerical simulation developed in this paper can accurately simulate the drying process characteristics of the agro-food product, especially Tomato, and that it provides a high spatial resolution of the distribution of water content and temperature inside the slice of tomatoes during the drying process.

Sıcak Hava ile Kurutma Sırasında Domateslerde Antioksidan Aktivite ve Renk Bozulmasının Kinetiği

The antioxidant activity (AA) and color degradation were monitored in tomato quarters (Rio Grande) during hot air drying in a cabinet drier at five temperatures (60, 70, 80, 90 and 100°C) at an airflow rate of 0.2 m/s and 20% relative humidity. AA values of fresh tomatoes determined by total phenolic content (TPC), FRAP and DPPH assays were 85.3 mg GAE, 26.2 µmol TE and 31.3 µmol TE/100g dm, respectively. Increasing drying temperature resulted in a reduction in Hunter Lab and a/b color values of tomatoes as well as their AA values. During hot air drying, the degradation of AA and color values of tomatoes followed a first-order reaction. Activation energy values for AA degradation determined by TPC, FRAP and DPPH assays were 24.36, 22.91 and 23.67 kJ/mol, respectively. High correlations were found among the TPC, DPPH and FRAP values and lycopene and β-carotene contents of tomatoes during hot air drying. Degradation kinetic data revealed that color values and tomatoes AA are susceptible to drying temperature.

Tomatidine Extraction from Various Solvents and Cancer Inhibition Mechanism Through In Silico Analysis

Tomatidine is an alkaloid-steroid contained in tomato plant organs that potentially developed as an anti-cancer molecule. However, inappropriate use of solvents is frequently becoming an obstacle in the extractions process. In addition, the mechanism of action of tomatidine in the inhibition of cancer cell signaling pathways needs to be investigated. Therefore, this research aims to discover an appropriate solvent to extract tomatidine effectively, and to analyze the inhibition mechanism of tomatidine against the cancer growth pathway. A total of 80 kg of fresh tomatoes were cut into pieces and steamed at 120 °C for 30 min, then mashed and soaked for 3 days in 70 % ethanol, aquadest, petroleum ether, and chloroform separately, continued with GC/MS analysis. Molecular docking was conducted using targeted proteins including B-Raf proto-oncogen serine/ threonine protein kinase (BRAF), Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), Smoothened protein (SMO), Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), and Tyrosine-protein kinase/ Janus kinase-1 (JAK1). The ligand-receptor was performed using AutoDock Vina v1.2.0. The highest extracted tomatidine was found in chloroform at 2.44 % of total alkaloid-steroid, and cannot be found in water. The highest interaction is observed in the SMO-tomatidine interaction complex, followed by JAK-1. Furthermore, physicochemical properties of tomatidine make it invaginated into the hydrophobic side of the target proteins that are mainly triggered by van der Waals and alkyl interaction. Based on the in-silico study, tomatidine significantly interacted in the oncogenic signaling pathways that therapeutically potential inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Further study should be focused on the effectiveness analysis of the SHH signaling pathway in the cancer cell. HIGHLIGHTS Important findings in this study include: Tomatidine, an alkaloid-steroid, is properly extracted in chloroform, petroleum ether and 70 % ethanol, however cannot extracted in aquadest. Furthermore, the aquadest content in 70 % ethanol is likely to reduce the solubility of the tomatidine The tomatidine physicochemical property provides a closed covalent bond that makes it more insoluble in the polar solvent. The only polar side is supported by the hydroxyl group in C-4, side chain C-17, and amide side in N-24 that allowed hydrogen bond formation which is relevant to the docking result In molecular docking, tomatidine strongly triggers Van der Waal forces, alkyl, and pi interaction than hydrogen bond or ionic force Interestingly, ligand-receptor interaction always makes tomatidine invaginated or folded into the protein hydrophobic side and strongly attract non-polar and aromatic amino acid, mostly Val, Ala, Leu, and Phe The significant finding is that tomatidine creates valid interactions with CDK2, BRAF, VEGFA, JAK1, and SMO that are involved in cancer cell proliferation, evading apoptosis, and sustained angiogenesis. The highest interaction is observed in the SMO-tomatidine interaction complex, which may affect the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway (one of the most significant oncogenic pathways in various types of cancer) Tomatidine is therapeutically potential to inhibit cancer cell proliferation through protein inhibition activities against the SHH signaling pathway in the cancer cell GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Chemical analysis of novel ginger and Hibiscus sabdariffa bio-preserved tomato powder

Background: Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are widely consumed vegetables globally, and are well known for their nutrients and economic value. This research aimed to create a tomato powder with improved nutraceutical benefits based on its ingredients. Methods: Fresh tomatoes, ginger, and dried hibiscus calyx were obtained and dehydrated at 45°C for 10 hours, 8 hours, and 1 hour and 30 minutes respectively. Proximate, elemental, phytochemical, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrum (GCMS) analysis of the tomato powder mix were determined using standard methods.Results: The proximate analysis revealed constituents of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, ash, fiber, and moisture as 65, 5, 10, 1, 7, and 12 % respectively. The GCMS also revealed 36 classes of compounds with different retention times. The most prominent peak is oleic acid with an RT value of 20.9. The fiber content of the tomato powder mix was higher than what is obtainable in fresh tomatoes. Bioactive compounds like stigmasterol (5.25%), oleic acids (49.11%), n-hexadecenoic acid (26.58%), campesterol (2.72%), and octadecanoic acid (6.8%) are notably present with lycopene (135.745 mg/100 grams). Conclusion:The tomato powder mix is nutrient-packed and non-toxic. The bioactive components are known as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular health enhancers, etc showing the possible use of the powder as a functional food.Keywords: Tomatoes powder, bioactive compounds, functional foods, dehydration

Investigation of the low-temperature exposure effect on the water activity of food products

Introduction: The activity of water is an integral characteristic of the moisture condition in a product, by which one can assess the correctness of various technological processes, as well as predict the shelf life of the product. Existing studies on the activity of water in food products were conducted mostly for the positive temperature range. Little attention was paid to the study of the effects of low-temperature exposure on water activity.Purpose: The article is devoted to the study of water activity in food products at various temperatures. Such an approach will allow predicting the shelf life of food products and optimizing the development of methods for controlling the functional and technological characteristics of food raw materials.Materials and Methods: The objects of research were: beef chilled according to GOST R 52427-2005, chilled pork, chilled mutton, fresh cucumbers, fresh carrots, fresh tomatoes, fresh parsley greens, dill greens, green onion greens. Two installations were used to analyze the water activity in the research objects: designed at the Kuzbass State Agricultural Academy, and the LabSwift-aw water activity analyzer. Experiments were conducted for fresh, chilled, and frozen products at various temperatures.Results: A design of a homemade installation that can be used to measure water activity is presented. The accuracy of this installation's measurements is experimentally proven. An analysis of water activity in fresh, chilled, and frozen products has been conducted. The water activity of fresh products was within the range of 0.954-0.995. It was found that with the same moisture content, the water activity can vary slightly, which is due to the difference in the chemical composition of the product and the salt content. It was established that chilling products from 22 to 6°C leads to a decrease in water activity by an average of 2%. Freezing to a temperature of -5°C results in a further reduction of water activity by an average of 0.03 units. Lowering the freezing temperature from -5°C to -10°C, -20°C, -30°C, and -40°C results in a reduction of water activity by an average of 0.04, 0.07, 0.06, and 0.05 units, respectively. Based on experimental data, mathematical dependencies of water activity on the freezing temperature for all studied products were derived.Conclusion: Water activity has important theoretical and practical significance, and the results of the research can be useful in predicting the shelf life of food products and developing methods to control the functional and technological characteristics of food raw materials.

Response of Flavor Substances in Tomato Fruit to Light Spectrum and Daily Light Integral.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used as light sources for plant production in plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), and light spectrum and light amount have great impacts on plant growth and development. With the expansion of the product list of PFALs, tomato production in PFALs has received attention, but studies on fruit quality influenced by artificial light are lacking. In this study, precisely modulated LED light sources based on white light combined with additional red, blue, and green lights were used to investigate the effects of light spectrum and daily light integral (DLI) on the main quality indicators and flavor substances of "Micro-Tom" tomato fruits. The highest sugar-acid ratio was obtained under the white light with addition of red light with high DLI and blue light with low DLI. The contents of β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein were significantly increased by higher DLI conditions except for under the blue light treatment, and the cross-interactions between the light spectrum and DLI were observed. The accumulation of the main flavor substances in tomato fruits was decreased by addition of green light with a high DLI and red light with a low DLI; notably, the percentage of 2-isobutylthiazole, which is associated with fresh tomato aroma, was decreased by green light. This study provides insights for improving tomato fruit quality and flavor by regulating light conditions in PFALs.

Impact of biochar amendments on soil water and plant uptake dynamics under different cropping systems

AbstractApplication of biochar amendments in agricultural systems has received much attention in recent years. In this study, we assess the 5‐year impacts of biochar application on soil water and plant interactions for an irrigated fresh market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and a rainfed pasture (Poaceae) cropping system. In particular, we focus on three varieties of locally produced biochar from agricultural waste materials—almond shell, walnut shell, and almond pruning residues that are pyrolyzed using a mobile pyrolysis unit. We used the soil hydrological model HYDRUS‐1D to explicitly track seasonal and annual soil water fluxes through changes in water retention, drainage, evaporation, and plant water uptake under biochar application. Modeling results show that the application of biochar at 5% increased soil water availability within the top 20 cm for a rainfed system, irrespective of biochar amendment type. This is clearly indicative of higher plant water uptake and greater water use efficiency (WUE) under biochar application. In contrast, a similar biochar amendment for the irrigated system did not affect WUE, instead reducing seasonal soil evaporation loss and thereby reducing irrigation demand. In both cropping systems, year‐to‐year variability in precipitation significantly impacted the total amount of water saved under biochar application with certain amendments retaining more water than others. Given that biochar application increased water retention irrespective of cropping systems, we further used a simple approach to determine yield trade‐off, if any, between control and biochar treatments. Our economic balance clearly demonstrates that the water saved by amending soil with biochar does not offset the yield disparity if compensated with carbon credits and therefore, application of biochar should be actively considered for both its direct and indirect benefits to potential greenhouse gas mitigation (e.g., diverting orchard waste from open burning), water savings, and soil health.

Construction of a Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Introgression Line Population and Mapping of Major Agronomic Quantitative Trait Loci

Tomato as a fresh fruit has a large market share in China, but few new materials have been developed for such cultivar breeding in recent years. This study aims to create innovative breeding materials for fresh fruit tomatoes with consistent genetic backgrounds and take advantage of beneficial genes from wild germplasm resources. An introgression line (IL) population was constructed using freshly cultivated tomato S. lycopersicum 1052 and wild tomato S. pennellii LA0716 through hybridization and five consecutive backcrossings, with molecular marker-assisted selection techniques during seedling stages. A total of 447 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) and 525 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to screen polymorphic markers among the two parental lines, resulting in 216 polymorphic CAPS and 236 polymorphic SSR markers, with 46.5% parental polymorphism. Then, 200 molecular markers uniformly distributed over the entire genome were further selected, and 107 ILs were finally obtained from 541 BC5 candidate plants. The physical distance between adjacent markers was 6.3~10.0 cm, with an average interval of 7.29 cm, and the IL population constructed covered the whole genome of S. pennillii LA0716, with an average introgression segment of 31.5 cm. Moreover, phenotype data of major agronomic traits in BC5 progeny after selfing two times, were analyzed for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, and a total of 11 QTLs distributed on 6 chromosomes were identified, including 3 QTLs regulating plant height, 1 QTL regulating leaf size, 1 QTL regulating fruit color, 4 QTLs regulating fruit weight, and 2 QTLs regulating soluble solids content in ripening fruits. The IL population constructed in this study provided good materials for fresh fruit tomato breeding with improved yield and quality in the future.

Environmental Impact of Different Business Models: An LCA Study of Fresh Tomato Production in Italy

This paper aims to define and measure the environmental impacts associated with three distinct industry techniques used in the production of fresh tomatoes, from planting to harvesting. A comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is conducted to evaluate the environmental performance of producing one kilogram of fresh processing tomatoes. The study includes three Italian companies representing different Business Models: standard production, integrated production, and precision farming. The impact evaluation method used is ReCiPe, at both midpoint and endpoint levels. The results reveal that the adoption of advanced technology, such as precision farming, in managing the agricultural production of fresh tomatoes leads to a significant reduction in environmental impacts across all categories analyzed. Interestingly, the largest contribution to climate-changing gases comes from the use of fertilizers. Precision farming demonstrates a remarkable reduction of CO2 emissions by 52% compared to integrated production and 67% compared to standard production. This analysis provides valuable insights for managers and policymakers in developing strategies for large-scale, sustainable production using innovative techniques. The main contribution of this study lies in comparing the performance of three different Business Models employed in Italian fresh tomato production.

Phytochemical and Proximate Evaluation of Fresh and Spoilt Fruits of Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Sold in Five Major Markets in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Tomatoes contribute to healthy, well-balanced diet. They are rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, sugar and dietary fibres. It contains much vitamin B and C, iron and phosphorus. Tomato fruits are consumed fresh in salads or cooked in sauces, soup and meat or fish dishes. Phytochemical compounds are desirable compounds in our food because of their antioxidant properties. The study of phytochemical and proximate evaluation of fresh and spoilt tomatoes fruits obtained from five markets in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria was carried out. This aim to investigate the phytochemical and proximate constituents of both fresh and spoilt tomatoes fruit. A total of 400 tomatoes were randomly purchased from the five markets in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. In each market, 40 fresh (firm and undamaged) and 40 spoilt (damaged and spoilt) tomatoes were purchased from 10 different sellers. Samples were separately packaged into different sterile containers, labelled, and transported to the laboratory immediately for phytochemical and proximate analysis. The phytochemical and proximate composition analyses were carried out using the official methods of analysis of analytical chemists laboratory procedures. The result shows a significant difference in value of phytochemical and proximate composition in both fresh and spoilt tomato fruits. The value of crude carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fat, saponin, flavonoids and alkaloids were higher in fresh tomato fruits than spoilt fruit while moisture, crude ash, crude fibre, tannins and polyphenols were higher in spoilt tomato fruits than in fresh fruits. This study has shown that spoilage reduces some important phytochemical and proximate constituents of tomato fruits

Levels of organochlorine pesticide residues in fresh tomatoes from selected farming communities in Navrongo, Ghana

The levels of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in tomatoes sourced from three agricultural communities in Navrongo (Bonia, Korania, and Nangalkenia) were analyzed using gas chromatography. A comprehensive analysis revealed the presence of nineteen (19) distinct organochlorine pesticides, with a minimum of five different residues detected in each tomato sample. The OCPs were detected within a range of 0.04 to 15.90 μg/kg. Remarkably, beta-hexachlorocylohexane (β-HCH) exhibited the highest concentration (15.90 μg/kg), while both cis-chlordane and trans-heptachlor epoxide displayed the lowest concentration (0.04 μg/kg) in Korania. In the Nangalkenia community, gamma-hexachlorocylohexane (δ-HCH) demonstrated the highest concentration (10.21 μg/kg), while trans-chlordane and o,p'‑Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (o, p-DDT) exhibited the lowest concentration (0.04 μg/kg). Furthermore, within the Bonia community, p, p-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p, p-DDT) displayed the highest concentration (8.25 μg/kg), whereas o, p-DDT and trans-heptachlor epoxide exhibited the lowest concentration (0.13 μg/kg). Notably, the analysis indicated that two (2) of the organochlorine pesticides, specifically β-HCH and δ-HCH, surpassed the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established by the United Kingdom/European Commission (UK/EC). The results of the questionnaire survey unveiled a substantial proportion of illiterate farmers (54%), which potentially plays a significant role in the farmers' misuse or indiscriminate use of pesticides. Additionally, both the questionnaire responses and field visits provided insight into the specific types of pesticides employed by the farmers. These include karate, lambda, carbofuran, mancozeb, ridomil, sunpyrifos, kocide, cypermethrin, and dimethoate.

Occurrence of Foodborne Bacteria with Outbreak Potentials and Fungi Associated with Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Postharvest

The high-water content of tomato predisposes it to spoilage by bacteria and fungi that can pose significant health threats to consumers. However, parameters such as environment and human factors influence the rate of contamination and microbial species involved. Hence, the present study aims to determine the various pathogenic bacteria and fungi associated with tomatoes sold in some markets in southern Benin. A total of 70 tomatoes were sampled, out of which 35 undamaged tomatoes and 35 spoilt tomatoes were processed for examination of bacterial and fungi contamination by standard culture technique following standard protocols. Results indicated that out of the 70 tomatoes samples analyzed, 85.71% are contaminated with enteric bacteria. Escherichia coli was the commonest bacterial contaminant. Foodborne bacteria with outbreak potentials were also detected in analyzed samples. Fungi isolated belong to genera of Aspergillus, Fusarium and Mucor. The most identified species are Aspergillus ochraceus (98.91%), Fusarium oxysporum (84.28%), Aspergillus niger (72.85%) and Aspergillus versicolor (35.71%). The presence of these foodborne pathogens raises concern on public health risks associated with the consumption of fresh tomatoes. Efforts should be made to advise farmers to avoid the use of contaminated wastewater for irrigation during cultivation, and discourage purchasing spoilt tomatoes.

Isolation, Characterization and Docking Analysis of Lycopene from Solanum lycopersicum and Daucus carota

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a berry type fruits and red carrot (Daucus carota) is a root vegetable which have essential micronutrient for the human diet. Carotenoids, polyphenols and vitamins present in tomato and red carrot act as antioxidants, anticarcinogens, and well known to promote human health and is considered as a vital functional food. Lycopene is a main carotenoid in tomatoes and red carrot, accountable for the red color of tomatoes and carrot. Lycopene can trap singlet oxygen and reduce mutagenesis. Lycopene reveals important role in a number of chronic diseases such as cancer. The present study was aimed to characterize, compare and evaluate the lycopene content in tomatoes and carrots and determine, red carrots can be an alternative source of lycopene because fresh tomatoes have a shorter shelf life than carrot. The molecular docking is presented between lycopene and Human homooxygenase enzyme-1 (HO-1) that potentiate it as a suitable antioxidant molecule.

Effects of surface coating material made from Taengwood Balau resin and storage temperatures on effective skin permeances to water vapor and respiration rates of fresh cherry tomato

Cherry tomatoes are vulnerable to loss their marketability under high storage temperature causing rapid fresh weight losses and other quality changes. Surface coating using shellac, wax and alike is one of the postharvest management practically implemented to mitigate such undesirables. The present research was undertaken to study the effects of the coating material made from Taengwood Balu (Shorea obtusa) resin (TB resin) on respiration rates and effective skin permeance to water vapor of the cherry tomatoes stored at 10-35°C. Experiment findings show that the TB resin could be transformed into the coating material providing reasonable surface adherences as well as glossiness. Both respiration rates and the skin permeances of either TB resin coated or non-coated (control) tomatoes exponentially increased in relation to increasing temperatures. The relationship was well described by the Arrhenius model, of which values of root mean square of errors were in a range of 0.012-0.030. The TB resin coated tomatoes had approximately 2-fold lower values of both respiration rates and effective skin permeance, compared to those of the controls. In all, the experimental results highlight possibilities to utilize TB resin as an alternative surface coating material, together with low storage temperature for delaying losses of water vapor, a main contributor of fresh weight loss, and those of storage qualities related to respiration processes.

High-performance multifunctional gelatin-based films engineered with metal-organic frameworks for active food packaging applications

Eco-friendly multifunctional composite films were designed using gelatin (Gel) and metal-organic frameworks ZIF-8 (Zn-MOFs) to meet the demand for active packaging that ensures food shelf life. The synthesized Zn-MOF nanostructures exhibited a dodecahedral morphology with antioxidant activity, UV absorption, and antibacterial properties. The added Zn-MOFs particles showed good dispersion in the gelatin matrix, creating a dense composite film structure. The incorporation of Zn-MOFs enhanced the physical characteristics of the developed films, such as water resistance, thermal stability, tensile strength, and UV shielding properties. The addition of 1 and 3 wt% Zn-MOFs in the gelatin matrix resulted in 84.4% and 100% antioxidant activity, respectively. MOFs-loaded gelatin film demonstrated excellent antibacterial function against Gram-positive (S. aureus &L. monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (S. enterica &E. coli) bacteria. The potential application of the engineered composite films in the food packaging field is studied by fresh cherry tomato packing, and physicochemical and microbiological properties of packed samples were monitored for a storage period of 16 days at 10 °C. The Gel/Zn-MOF3% film retarded the texture deterioration of packed tomatoes and displayed a microorganism growth prevention effect, expecting its practical potential for use in multifunctional active packaging prospects.

Optimizing Analytical Methods to Determine Lycopene Levels in Syrian Tomatoes from Various Regions

Background: The particular attention in recent years on high nutritional quality food is increasing because of its health benefits. Tomato, which a common fruit in different regions of Syria, is one of these foods. It contains plentiful antioxidant compounds, including lycopene. Lycopene plays a very significant role in human health and nutrition; it is considered a strong antioxidant due to its ability to trap singlet oxygen and remove the peroxyl radical. This study aims to quantify of lycopene content of fresh tomatoes in Syria and determine the best analytical method (solvent for separation by HPLC) for separation by HPLC. Methods: Tomatoes from different Syrian regions were quantitatively analyzed for the detection of lycopene, using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography through isocratic elution and UV detection. Many mobile phases were under experiments in order to maximum achievement the lycopene separation. Result: An Analytical method for determination of lycopene in Syrian tomato samples was optimized and the proper solvent for separation and determination of lycopene in Syrian tomato samples was (MeOH/propanol/THF) (15:65:20). The lycopene content in Syrian tomatoes ranged from 55.94 to 103.70 ìg/g, this disparity was attributed to many genetic and environmental factors. This study suggests that Syrian tomato is rich source of lycopene and a major provenance of this powerful antioxidant and can be considered as a possible alternative to antioxidative supplements.

Determining the influence of food user value on the intention to waste tomatoes at home

To date, there is no evidence on how food user value influences the intention to waste food at home. We experimentally tested the influence of the freshness of tomatoes and them being grown in/on one’s garden/balcony on the intention to waste tomatoes at home (n = 454). We uncovered a significantly lower intention to waste them if they were described as still fresh (versus no longer fresh) and a lower intention to waste them if they were homegrown (versus bought). It did not make a difference whether fresh tomatoes were store-bought or homegrown. However, once the tomatoes were no longer fresh, the purchased tomatoes were much more likely to be thrown away than the homegrown tomatoes.

Metabolic Engineering to Enhance Provitamin D3 Accumulation in Edible Tomatoes

Ensuring adequate levels of vitamin D3 in the human diet has long been an important objective in crop breeding, as most crops have extremely low levels of this compound. To address this challenge, we have employed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system in tomatoes to induce loss-of-function mutations in one of the two DWARF5 genes, a homologue of the human dehydrocholesterol Δ7-reductase gene. Lines with knocked out SIDWF5A gene exhibited visually undistinguishable phenotypes, yet remarkably accumulated provitamin D3 levels as high as 6 μg/g dry weight (DW) in the red fruits. As the daily recommended intake of vitamin D is 20 μg (800 IU), consuming a single ripe fresh tomato weighing 150 g (equivalent to 15 g DW) has the potential to significantly alleviate widespread vitamin D deficiencies worldwide.

Biogenic silver nanoparticles and cinnamaldehyde as an effective sanitizer for fresh sweet grape tomatoes.

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of cinnamaldehyde (CIN) and biogenic silver nanoparticles (BioAgNP), alone and in combination, against Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. Their sanitation activities on fresh sweet grape tomatoes were also evaluated. CIN and BioAgNP inhibited the growth of the tested bacteria, and at low concentrations, their combinations presented a synergistic effect. In the sanitization of fresh sweet grape tomatoes, CIN (156µg/mL) combined with BioAgNP (31.25µM) at subinhibitory concentrations inhibited the growth of E. coli after only 5min of contact. Exposed samples showed no growth of E. coli during their shelf life. The combination of these compounds did not change significantly (p > 0.05) the physicochemical properties of sweet grape tomatoes and showed that CIN combined with BioAgNP could represent an effective method for decontaminating fruits and vegetables. This combination has great potential for application in the prevention of foodborne diseases.