Lycopene Content In Tomatoes Research Articles

Postharvest behavior and lycopene content of tomatoes at different harvest times

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical, chemical and bioactive behavior of the tomatoes of the commercialized tomato at the Central of Supply of Goiás at different times of the year and stored for 15 days in ambient conditions and propose the construction of a model to estimate the content of lycopene from the coloring of the fruits. Seven monthly collections of tomatoes were carried out between February and August. The fruits were evaluated for color, firmness, fresh weight loss, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, lycopene, total extractable polyphenols, and antioxidant activity. The variation of brightness and firmness were inversely proportional to the storage time. The linear regression model generated from the correlation between the red color and the lycopene content can be used to estimate the lycopene value of the fruits. Future work may be carried out for developing non-destructive models of determination of lycopene for industrial tomato.

Uji Kadar Likopen dan Aktivitas Antioksidan pada Buah Tomat

Stres oksidatif, yaitu ketidakseimbangan antara radikal bebas dan zat antioksidan dalam tubuh, banyak dikaitkan dengan kejadian atherosklerosis, inflamasi, kanker, dan proses penuaan. Beban stres oksidatif yang meningkat karena pengaruh pola makan yang tinggi lemak dan polusi menyebabkan tubuh membutuhkan asupan antioksidan dari luar berupa suplemen atau bahan-bahan makanan yang mengandung antioksidan misalnya tomat (Solanum lycopersicum). Buah tomat memiliki kandungan likopen yang cukup tinggi yang kemampuannya mengendalikan radikal bebas 100 kali lebih efisien dibanding vitamin E dan 12500 kali dari pada glutathione peroksidase (enzim antioksidan endogen dalam tubuh). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menentukan aktivitas antioksidan buah tomat dan untuk mengetahui kadar likopen dalam tomat. Aktivitas antioksidan ditentukan secara spektrofotometri, yaitu dengan métode DPPH. Kadar likopen dalam buah tomat ditentukan berdasarkan absorbansi dan nilai absorbansi spesifiknya. Dari hasil penelitian ini didapatkan kadar antioksidan dengan metode DPPH/ IC50 buah tomat adalah 60 µg/ml termasuk dalam antioksidan kuat, dan kadar likopen dalam buah tomat ada sebesar 3.42 mg/kg sampel segar. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa buah tomat mengandung kadar antioksidan.

Effects of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications and twelve treatments combinations viz., T0= Control, T1= Soil application of chitosan (SAC) @80 ppm, T2= SAC @120 ppm, T3= Foliar spraying of chitosan (FSC) @60 ppm, T4= FSC @80 ppm, T5= FSC @100 ppm, T6= Combination of T1 and T3, T7= Combination of T1 and T4, T8= Combination of T1 and T5, T9= Combination of T2 and T3, T10= Combination of T2 and T4, and T11= Combination of T2 and T5. The study results revealed that there were significant variations among the treatments on number of leaves, numbers of flower cluster, flowering duration, fruit length and yield of tomato (L. esculentum). The highest yield of tomato (L. esculentum) was obtained from the treatment T6, while the lowest was obtained from control treatment. Vitamin-C and lycopene content of tomato (L. esculentum) fruits varied from 2.19-4.09 and 2.38-3.58 mg 100g-1 sample, respectively. Among the major minerals, the highest amounts of Ca, Mg, Na, K, S and P were obtained from T7 (0.69%), T3 (0.58%), T8 (0.38%), T1 (0.62%), T4 (0.15%) and T6 (0.33%) treatments, respectively. Study results inferred that the treatment T4 was more effective concerning most of the growth and biochemical parameters of tomato (L. esculentum). Finally, the study concluded that foliar application of chitosan alone or in combination with soil has significant effect on growth, yield and biochemical characters of tomato (L. esculentum).

Consumption of lycopene-rich tomatoes improved glucose homeostasis in rats via an increase in leptin levels.

The lycopene content of tomatoes is important because of its effects on vital physiological functions such as improvement of glucose tolerance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. To investigate the influence of the lycopene content of tomatoes on glucose tolerance and hepatic lipid content, homogenates of lycopene-rich (LR) or lycopene-free negative control (NC) tomato varieties were administrated to normal rats for 4weeks. At the end of the experiment, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. Rats were fed once and then dissected. According to the OGTT results, plasma glucose levels in the LR group were 10% and 9% lower at 15min and 30min, respectively, than those in the NC group, whereas plasma insulin levels did not differ between the groups at either time point. Upon dissection, plasma leptin levels in the LR group were higher than those in the NC group, while plasma adiponectin levels did not differ between groups. With the exception of retinol palmitate, no carotenoids were detected in the liver by HPLC analysis. Hepatic retinol palmitate levels and hepatic triacyl glyceride levels did not differ between the groups. We concluded that in normal rats, a lycopene-rich tomato variety improved glucose tolerance via an increase in plasma leptin levels that enhanced insulin sensitivity but did not affect carotenoid accumulation or lipid metabolism.

A water extraction process for lycopene from tomato waste using a pressurized method: an application of a numerical simulation

Lycopene is a red carotenoid pigment found in fresh tomatoes. Several epidemiological studies show that the lycopene content of tomatoes and tomato-based products is related to a variety of health benefits due to its antioxidant activity, which is fundamental in treating cardiovascular diseases, slowing down cellular ageing and preventing some forms of cancer. Furthermore, several studies in the past few years have shown that by-products of tomato processing contain significant amounts of bioactive phytochemicals, including lycopene, that once extracted from the tomato skin could be used as natural antioxidants for the formulation of functional foods or as additives in food systems to extend their shelf life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extractive process of lycopene, starting from tomato skin waste, performing a cyclically pressurized extraction process or rapid solid–liquid dynamic extraction, using a Naviglio Extractor. This is an alternative approach to recent solid–liquid extractive processes that depends on diffusion and the pressure/de-pressure mechanism, which was considered to account for the driving force (convective effect) of the accelerated extraction of compounds contained in vegetables (or, more generally, solid matrices) and those not chemically bonded to the chemical structure of solids that are insoluble in the liquid extractant. The chromatographic analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography of the lycopene extract obtained showed a purity of more than 98% (w/w). Finally, a numerical simulation of the process was performed, obtaining useful information about the kinetics of the process (time history) as well as its mathematical description. The numerical simulation supports the validity of Naviglio’s principle.

Supplemental blue and red light promote lycopene synthesis in tomato fruits

Lycopene, one of the strongest natural antioxidants known and the main carotene in ripe tomato, is very important for human health. Light is well known to be one of the most important environmental stimuli influencing lycopene biosynthesis; specifically, red light induces higher lycopene content in tomato. However, whether blue light promotes lycopene synthesis remains elusive and exactly how light stimulation promotes lycopene synthesis remains unclear. We applied supplemental blue and red lighting on tomato plants at anthesis to monitor the effect of supplemental blue and red lighting on lycopene synthesis. Our results showed that supplemental blue/red lighting induced higher lycopene content in tomato fruits; furthermore, we found that the expression of key genes in the lycopene synthesis pathway was induced by supplemented blue/red light. The expression of light signaling components, such as red-light receptor phytochromes (PHYs), blue-light receptor cryptochromes (CRYs) and light interaction factors, phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) were up- or down-regulated by blue/red lighting. Thus, blue and red light increased lycopene content in tomatoes by inducing light receptors that modulate HY5 and PIFs activation to mediate phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1) gene expression. These results provide a sound theoretical basis for further elucidation of the light regulating mechanism of lycopene synthesis in tomatoes, and for instituting a new generation of technological innovations for the enhancement of lycopene accumulation in crop production.

Optimization of storage temperatures to maintain Lycopene content of tomato from moderate water stress irrigated greenhouse

This research objective is to analyze the storage temperatures that optimize lycopene of tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum, cv.Taiankitijitsu) from moderate water stress irrigation and to compare it with normal irrigated tomato in hydroponic greenhouse system. Harvested tomatoes were stored in various temperatures (10, 15, 25 and 30 °C) until mature stage and lycopene content was observed with destructive method using spectrophotometer. Optimum temperature was analyzed by Minitab 15 Statistical Software using surface response methodology. After 16 days of storage, lycopene of water stress tomato attained 8,152 mg/100 g (10 °C), 11,636 mg/100 g (15 °C), 11,747 mg/100 g (25 °C), and 11,947 mg/100 g (30 °C) respectively. Storaging tomato at 10 °C remained the lycopene of water stress tomato in stable trend. Temperatures above 15°C increased lycopene of both water stress and normal irrigated tomato. Lycopene of normal irrigated tomato increased only for first 8 days with temperature 15 °C (slightly increase), 25 °C, and 30 °C (highest lycopene value). After 8 days of storage, the trends tend to drop. Analysis of multivariate multiple regressions showed low R2 value of lycopene during storage. Optimization using Minitab 15 Statistical Software showed temperature of 24.52°C with 11 days storage and might reached 10.71 mg/100g.

Study of encapsulation parameters to improve content of lycopene in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) powders

The aim was to examine conditions of convective drying and spray-drying to improve preservation of lycopene content in tomatoes. The weight, size, colour, pH and °Brix values were evaluated in fresh fruit (FF) and colour (L, a, b), hue, and chrome indices were analysed from dried tomatoes, too. Tomato paste was dried (40, 50, 60, and 80 °C with times of 540, 390, 270, and 240 min) under convection conditions and pulverized. In the encapsulation treatments core material with tomato powders of 50, 60, and 70%, shell solution of maltodextrin/gum arabic 1:1, flow rate of 4, 6, 9, and 12 ml min–1, and inlet air T of 160, 170, and 180 °C were used. The physicochemical properties of FF corresponded to a degree of ripeness for consumption. The a, a/b, and hue values of dried tomatoes at 50 °C significantly correlated to red colouring and higher lycopene content (47.98±1.49 mg/100 g). The encapsulation with 50% and 60% of tomato powders, 170 °C and 9 ml min–1 treatments increased lycopene contents to 10.41 mg/100 g, 10.20 mg/100 g, and 11.51 mg/100 g, respectively. The results demonstrated that the physicochemical and functional properties were influenced by drying conditions, providing useful information for increasing the stability of lycopene in dried tomatoes.

Changes in nutraceutical quality of tomato under different organic substrates

ABSTRACT Yield and nutraceutical quality of Sahel tomato cultivar under shade net was evaluated using different mixtures of organic substrates in Coahuila, northern Mexico. The treatments consisted of mixtures using sand (S), vermicompost (VC), solarized bovine manure (SB), agricultural soil (AS) and mineralized compost (MC). The treatments were: T1 (S:VC, 80:20), T2 (S:SB, 80:20), T3 (S:SB:AS, 80:15:05), T4 (S:VC:AS, 80:15:05), T5 (S:MC, 80:20), and a control treatment T6 (S, 100%) with Steiner solution. Yield results showed that the best organic treatments were T5 and T4 with 3.48 and 3.33 kg plant-1, respectively; while the highest yield was in control (T6) with 3.71 kg plant-1. The highest phenolic content in the organic treatment of fruits was 56.94 mg equivalent of gallic acid per 100 g in fresh weight for T5, while the treatment with chemical fertilization obtained 49.82. The greatest antioxidant capacity was obtained in T4, with 478.34 μM equivalent of Trolox/100 g fresh weight. Two colors were evaluated (yellow and red) corresponding to two ripeness phases. Lycopene content in tomatoes was in average 32% higher in the red colored fruits than in the yellow ones, with 3.12 and 2.24 mg lycopene 100 g pulp-1 values, respectively. For the red ones, treatment T5 showed the highest value (3.52) and in yellow ones T1 reported 2.35, while T2 presented the lowest values for both colors. Organic fertilizers based on S:VC can induce good amounts of lycopene in fruits of both colors, as well as improve phenols and antiOX.

Directional versus total reflectance spectroscopy for the in situ determination of lycopene in tomato fruits

Non-destructive tools for evaluating the lycopene content in tomatoes are of great interest to the entire fruit chain because of an increasing demand for beneficial health products. With the aim of developing compact low-cost reflectance sensors for lycopene determination, we compared Partial Least Squares (PLS) prediction models by using either directional or total reflectance in the 500–750 nm range. Directional reflectance at 45° with respect to the LED lighting direction was acquired by means of a compact spectrometer sensor. Total reflectance was acquired through a 50-mm integrating sphere connected to a spectrometer. The analysis was conducted on two hydroponic greenhouse cultivated red tomato varieties, namely the large round ‘Dometica’ (average diameter: 57 mm) and the small cherry ‘Juanita’ (average diameter: 26 mm). For both varieties, the spectral variance of directional reflectance was well correlated to that of total reflectance. The performances of the PLS prediction models were also similar, with R2 of cross-validation between 0.73 and 0.81. The prediction error, relative to the mean lycopene content of full ripe tomatoes, was similar: i.e. around 16–17% for both varieties and sensors. Our results showed that directional reflectance measured by means of portable, low-cost and compact LED-based sensors can be used with an adequate precision for the non-destructive assessment of lycopene in tomatoes.

Rapid determination of lycopene content and fruit grading in tomatoes using a smart device camera

Lycopene is one of the most important functional components produced in tomatoes. Traditional methods for determining lycopene content usually rely on destructive sampling followed by chemical analysis. This report introduces the use of a smart device camera combined with a new Android application as a novel, rapid, and nondestructive method for determining tomato lycopene content and fruit grade. We first measured chromaticity values and lycopene content in 60 tomato fruits to develop an effective predictive model for lycopene estimation. Second, a method based on color differences between test fruit and several standard colors was designed as a color classification algorithm for fruit grading. Third, an Android application for lycopene estimation and fruit grading was developed. Finally, application functionality was evaluated using an Android 4.2.2 tablet. The results demonstrated that this new approach was functional and its ability to estimate lycopene content and fruit grade was satisfactory.

Effect of organic and inorganic salts against sour rot (Geotrichum candidum) of Tomato

Carbendazim and nine selected organic and inorganic salt compounds, considered as common food additives, were evaluated for their activity against Geotrichum candidum, causal agent of tomato sour rot. The maximum inhibition of mycelial growth were recorded in carbendazim (82.9%) followed by sodium carbonate (43.9%), while minimum inhibition was recorded in magnesium sulphate (6.0%) as compared to control. Carbendazim was found most effective and five salts in vitro were tested in vivo. All tested salt compounds significantly reduced the disease severity. The lowest disease severity was recorded in treatment of carbendazim (63.6%) followed by sodium carbonate (73.8%) and highest disease severity was recorded in sodium thiosulphate (83.5%) as compared to control (100%). Physiological loss in weight was minimum in carbendazim (2.3%) and calcium carbonate (3.0%), as compared to control (8.0%). Highest lycopene content of tomato was obtained in sodium carbonate (5.04 mg/100g) followed by boric acid (4.49 mg/100g), as compared to control (5.05 mg/100g).

Mature-ripe tomato spectral classification according to lycopene content and fruit type by visible, NIR reflectance and intrinsic fluorescence

The human health benefits of carotenoids and phenolic compounds present in fruits and vegetables such as tomato, the second most consumed vegetable in the world, are well established. But characterisation of fruits is a tedious task. Tomato, with a thin, transparent and edible exocarp is interesting as a case-study for rapid characterisation by spectroscopy. An experiment was conducted to rapidly measure tomato lycopene content and classify mature-ripe tomatoes according to fruit-type (beef, vine or pink type) in a non-destructive way. A total of 1,560 fruits were collected from the market, retailers and producers. Three solid-state spectrometers were used; two for measurement of reflectance (visible; Vis: 450-750 nm and near-infrared; NIR: 600 to 1,150 nm) and one for capture of intrinsic fluorescence at either 275 or 400 nm excitation. Best results for lycopene content were obtained by Vis+NIR on beef-type fruits; coefficients of determination (r2) = 0.65, ratio of data standard deviation to root mean s...

Optimization of Characteristic Wavelengths in Prediction of Lycopene in Tomatoes Using Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy

AbstractTo improve the predictive ability and robustness of the near‐infrared correction model and to simplify the model, the backward interval partial least squares, the synergy interval partial least squares, the uninformative variable elimination partial least squares and the genetic algorithm partial least square (GA‐PLS) methods were used to select the characteristic wavelengths in the prediction of lycopene in tomatoes. The optimal characteristic variables and regression model were determined by the model evaluation parameters. The best model was set up using the GA‐PLS method. Compared with the model based on the full spectra, the variables used were reduced from 1,816 to 142, the correlation coefficient increased from 0.7104 to 0.9072, the root mean square errors of cross‐validation and prediction decreased from 21.58 to 8.76 and from 22.03 to 8.93, respectively. The experimental results showed that the use of GA‐PLS method, in the selection of characteristic variables of tomato lycopene, could effectively reduce the number of variables, decrease model complexity and improve the predictive precision.Practical ApplicationsUsing near‐infrared spectroscopy could quickly detect the lycopene contents of tomatoes. By extracting spectra characteristic wavelengths, it could reduce the irrelevant information variables and improve the accuracy of measurement of lycopene in tomatoes.

Processing, Packaging, and Storage of Tomato Products: Influence on the Lycopene Content

According to several epidemiological studies, the lycopene content of tomato and tomato-based products is related to a variety of health benefits. This has sparked interest in knowing the effect of processing and storage of tomato products on this carotenoid, in order to preserve it during manufacturing and distribution till consumption. Furthermore, in the last few years special attention has been paid to the changes of all-trans and cis-isomers of lycopene during processing and storage. In fact, cis-isomers have shown higher health-promoting properties than all-trans isomers. Heat, light, oxygen, food matrices, and ingredients such as oil are factors that have an important effect on the main lycopene degradation reactions: isomerization and oxidation. These reactions could affect the bioavailability and reduce the bioactivity of these compounds. This article reviews the lycopene changes in tomato and tomato products during preparation operations, processing, and storage using different packaging materials. Special attention has been paid to those technological conditions which may affect the lycopene stability, particularly those able to enhance the cis-forms content that have greater bioavailability than all-trans lycopene isomers.

Diallel Analysis for Lycopene Content in the Hybrids Derived from Different Colored Parents in Tomato

Lycopene is a red pigment in tomato with purported antioxidant properties. As the amount of lycopene has been reported to differ in different colored tomatoes or even absent in non-red tomatoes, the objective of this study was to investigate the inheritance of lycopene content and the color parameters of hybrids using a 10 parent diallel excluding reciprocals. Parents differed in general combining ability (GCA) for lycopene and color parameters. “Chocolate Stripe” (purple and brown striped) had the highest lycopene content followed by NC 1CS (red colored with the crimson gene) with the best general combining ability among parental lines. Hybrids differed in lycopene content and color parameters across two summer and greenhouse experiments, with no interaction between experiments indicating that the lycopene content was consistent. Narrow-sense heritability for lycopene was only 9% whereas broad-sense heritability was estimated to be 25%. The order of dominance for lycopene content was found as purple-brown > red > blue > yellow > green. Heritability estimates for color parameters were close to those for lycopene. This information may be useful in developing specialty type tomatoes or increasing lycopene content in tomatoes.

Genotypic Variability in Tomato for Total Carotenoids and Lycopene Content during Summer and Response to Post Harvest Temperature

Lycopene is the major carotenoid responsible for fruit colour in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). However, colour of the fruit is greatly affected by high temperature prevailing during fruit growth in the summer crop. To select a genotype suitable for summer conditions that can maintain colour better, a set of 52 tomato genotypes were evaluated for lycopene, total carotenoids and for TSS during summer in Bengaluru. Among the genotypes screened, IIHR 2892 recorded very high lycopene content (328.4mg/100g dry weight) and IIHR 2866 recorded very low lycopene content (25.2mg/100g dry weight). TSS values ranged from 2.6° Brix in cv. Vybhav to 7.0° Brix in IIHR 2866. In addition, study was carried out to determine the effect of postharvest temperature on biosynthesis of lycopene in five selected tomato cultivars (Arka Rakshak, Arka Samrat, Arka Ananya, Lakshmi and Abhinava). Tomatoes harvested at breaker stage were stored at 27° C, 35° C and 40° C for ripening. High temperature reduced lycopene content in tomato fruits. Lycopene synthesis in fruits was completely inhibited above 35°C. In this study, mean lycopene content in tomatoes stored at 27° C was 3-4 times higher than that in tomatoes stored at 40° C. This indicates that in tomatoes, temperature at which the fruits are stored after harvest, is a more important factor for colour development.

Lycopene Estimation in Tomato Lines Using Infrared Absorbance and Tomato Analyzer

The color of red tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is mostly from the carotenoid pigment lycopene, which is of interest to consumers and the tomato industry because of its purported protective effects against diabetes, cardiovascular events, and some cancers. Lycopene content was measured in at least 179 tomato lines with pink, red, and dark red fruit derived from a diverse genetic background to determine the level of variation for lycopene and to develop prediction models. Two methods (Tomato Analyzer or DigiEye) for quantifying total lycopene and to develop prediction models were tested on tomato fruit to find a high throughput lycopene measurement system suitable for screening hundreds of lines in a breeding program. The tomato lycopene content ranged from 28 to 133 mg•kg−1 of tomato sample, indicating a wide variation in the set of tomato lines. Using this variation, lycopene prediction models were developed. Though a single equation could not be developed using data from the DigiEye or Tomato Analyzer to predict lycopene content of tomato fruit, individual equations within color groups proved useful in predicting lycopene content (r = 0.77, P < 0.05). Our data indicate that rapid analysis of tomato fruit, kept relatively intact, can be done to accurately predict lycopene content in a wide range of fruit colors. Current address for Dan Randall: Shaw Industries Inc., 200 Industrial Blvd., Bainbridge, GA 39817.

Identification of novel quantitative trait loci for increased lycopene content and other fruit quality traits in a tomato recombinant inbred line population

Epidemiological and clinical studies indicate that a steady dietary intake of bioavailable lycopene, a C40 carotenoid and potent natural antioxidant, may be associated with a decreased incidence of prostate cancer in humans. Since fresh tomatoes and processed tomato products represent approximately 85% of the average human’s dietary lycopene intake, the identification of novel genetic factors which regulate high fruit lycopene content in tomato is imperative for the improvement of nutritional quality in this commercially valuable specialty crop. To understand the genetic control of the extraordinarily high fruit lycopene content in an accession (LA2093) of the tomato wild species Solanum pimpinellifolium, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping study was conducted using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of a cross between LA2093 and a cultivated tomato (S. lycopersicum) breeding line, NCEBR-1. The parental lines, F1 progeny, and F7-F10 RIL populations were grown in replicated field trials in four successive years and evaluated for lycopene content as well as several other traits, including fruit fresh weight, soluble solids content, pH of puree, and plant maturity. The lycopene content of ripe fruit was estimated using three methods: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), spectrophotometry, and colorimetric assays. Based on these measurements, QTL were identified and compared across generations. Among the QTL identified for lycopene, two QTL, located on chromosomes 7 and 12, had very large effects and were consistent across generations. The genomic intervals in which these two QTL reside do not correspond to known map positions of carotenoid biosynthetic genes, indicating that these QTL may represent novel alleles with potentially important implications for tomato breeding as well as increased understanding of carotenoid accumulation in tomato. Several QTL were also identified for fruit weight, soluble solids content and plant maturity. The potential implications of these results for tomato crop improvement are discussed.

Spatial–temporal analyses of lycopene and sugar contents in tomatoes during ripening using chemical shift imaging

During the ripening process, fruit and vegetables undergo physico-chemical changes which affect their color, texture, aroma, and sugar content, etc. For tomatoes, color change is the main index of ripening stages, and it is associated with metabolized lycopene. In order to detect the internal changes of sugar and lycopene contents in tomatoes during ripening, chemical shift imaging (CSI) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses were employed. Imaging experiments on tomatoes were performed in a Bruker 7T MRI system using the gradient-echo sequence for scanning. Spatial distribution of the internal sugar and lycopene contents of tomatoes were, for the first time, revealed and compared before and after the ripening process. The CSI analysis showed that a linear relationship existed between CSI intensity and concentrations of sugar solutions in the range of 0.1–1.0 M. The CSI results indicate that there was no consistent trend in the variation of sugar signal intensity during ripening while the lycopene content significantly increased in the outer pericarp and columella of the tomatoes at the red ripe stage, as compared to the mature green stage. This observation for the sugar and lycopene signal intensities was further confirmed by HPLC analyses. The non-destructive CSI technique has potential as an efficient tool for the physiological analysis of fruit and vegetables.