CAROTENOID COMPOSITION OF BRAZILIAN TOMATOES AND TOMATO PRODUCTS

The ripe Brazilian tomato cultivar ‘Santa Cruz’ (10 sample lots) presented a mean composition in μg/g of 3.7 cis-phytofluene, 5.1 trans-β-carotene, 0.4 trans-ζ-carotene, 0.7 trans-γ-carotene, 3.0 cis-lycopene and 31.1 trans-lycopene. Cis-isomers of β-carotene, not detected in the fresh tomato, appeared in the processed products (39 samples). The juice which received the mildest heat treatment had only 0.01-0.02 μg/g 13-cis-β-carotene. In the puree and paste, O.1 to 3.8 μg/g 13-cis-β-carotene and not detected to 1.1 μg/g 9-cis-β-carotene were encountered. In ketchup, the ranges were 0.2-0.6 μg/g 13-cis-β-carotene and 0.4-0.8 μg/g 9-cis-βcarotene. The vitamin A value ranges (RE/100 g) were 63-101, 25-38, 46-160, 54-203 and 54-79 for fresh tomato, juice, puree, paste and ketchup, respectively. The corresponding lycopene ranges (μg/g) were 12-73, 53-68, 56-273, 110-240 and 59-143. The tomato paste, the most concentrated product, had higher vitamin A value and lycopene content, but at lower levels than expected, indicating losses during the more drastic processing. © 1994 Academic Press.