Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is considered as one of the most important vegetables in the world among fresh and processed foods due to its health and economic importance. Lycopene, carotenoids and vitamins C, which are high in tomato fruit; It plays a vital role in suppressing the development of various human diseases, including prostate, colon and breast cancer. Consumption of about 100 g of tomatoes can provide 40% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C to the human body, which can strengthen the immune system and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Tomatoes are classified as climacteric fruits and deteriorate rapidly after harvest due to their soft tissues and susceptibility to microbial infections. Tomatoes harvested at different maturity stages are most preferred by consumers at the full red color level. The quality of fruits and vegetables after harvest is most affected by transportation and storage.
Previous studies have shown that calcium chloride reduces fruit rot; demonstrated to improve tissue and cell wall stiffness.
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Chitosan is an inexpensive and natural compound derived from chitin. The edible chitosan coating, alone or in combination with essential oils, provides excellent antimicrobial activity, minimizing fruit respiration and water loss rates.
Tomato fruits were stored at 10°C for 28 days under experimental conditions. During this time, the scientists recorded the contents of weight loss, firmness, color, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total carotenoids and ascorbic acid in tomato fruits.
As a result of these experiments, it was observed that the shelf life of tomatoes was significantly extended and the quality of tomato fruits was preserved. In addition, in these experiments, it has been proven that chitosan and calcium chloride are the most effective methods for preserving the quality characteristics of tomatoes, and both processes have a positive and beneficial effect on the preservation of the physico-chemical properties of tomato fruits during storage.