43. Gartenbauwissenschaftliche Tagung - (DGG) und des

Gemüsebau
Nutritional aspects of tomato as affected by cultivar and processing
method
A. Gonzalez Rivero, A.J. Keutgen and E. Pawelzik
University of Göttingen, Department of Crop Sciences, Quality of Plant Products,
Carl-Sprengel-Weg 1, 37075 Goettingen
anniagr76@yahoo.es
Tomato is among the most widely consumed vegetables worldwide and an important source
of certain antioxidants, including lycopene, ß-caroten, and ascorbic acid, not only for their
content but also for their year-round availability and high utility possibilities. An insight into
various antioxidant components of different tomato cultivars after processing would help to
define their quality and contribution to the human health.
The aim of this study was to investigate the variations in the contents of different antioxidants,
such as lycopene, ascorbic acid, phenolics and their contribution to the antioxidant
activity in four selected tomato genotypes. These differ in colour, size and shape, and belong
to the most cultivated in Europe and Middle of America. Furthermore the nutritional stability
of tomato products was assesed after the different processing methods as freezing, production
of ketchup and puree, to verify the actual contribution to the human health.
Significant differences were found between lycopene, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content
and antioxidant capacity among the various genotypes and processing methods. The tomato
cv. Suso F1 showed the highest and most stable antioxidant properties like phenolic compounds,
lycopene and antioxidative capacity. The yellow tomato cv. Goldene Königin follows
cv. Suso, in spite of very low content of lycopene, contained a higher amount of phenolic
compounds, ascorbic acid and the highest antioxidative capacity. The most frequently
used tomato cultivars for processing like Campbell and Roma showed lower content of antioxidant
capacity compared to cvs Suso and Goldene Königin. The processing methods affected
the antioxidant content. Antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds decreased with
processing level. Lycopene and ascorbic acid content remained on the same level as a result
of concentration during the processing and the reduction by heating.
BHGL – Tagungsband 24/2006
201