Mai Al-Dairi, Pankaj B.

Pathare, Rashid Al-Yahyai,

Chemical and nutritional quality changes of tomato during postharvest transportation and storage,

Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences,

Volume 20, Issue 6,

2021,

Pages 401-408,

ISSN 1658-077X,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2021.05.001.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658077X2100059X)

Abstract: Transportation over longer distances could accelerate the chemical changes of fresh
produce. Moreover, fresh produce quality is also influenced by temperature conditions during
storage. The present study aims to explore the postharvest quality chemical and nutritional changes
in tomatoes as affected by transportation distance and storage conditions. Tomato fruit was
transported from a local farm to three distances (100, 154, and 205 km) and delivered to the
laboratory to undergo chemical and nutritional quality analysis. Tomatoes were stored at two
storage temperature conditions at10°C (95 ± 1% relative humidity) and 22 °C (65 ± 5% relative
humidity) for 12 days. To record all vibration data signals, a 3-Axis USB vibration/acceleration data
logger was used during transportation. The changes in chemical properties of tomato including total
soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), sugar:acid ratio (TSS:TA), and pH were measured.
Furthermore, nutritional changes (i.e., total lycopene and carotenoids) were determined. Vibration
data results recorded 41% of acceleration occurrence in the range interval of 0.0099 -0.0116  m/s2 in
the longest distance of road travel. Chemical quality indicators like total soluble solids and
sugar/acid ratio were mostly affected (p < 0.05) by storage condition and duration but not (p > 0.05)
by transportation distance. However, TA was significantly affected by all investigated factors and was
lower (0.25%) in tomatoes transported from the farthest distance compared to medium and
shortest distances (0.26%) stored at 22 °C. Lycopene and carotenoids were highly affected by all
studied factors. The highest amount of lycopene and carotenoids was observed in tomato
transported from a long distance and stored at 22 °C on day12 with 1.21 and 1.55 mg.100 g−1 FW,
respectively. The temperature during storage and long-distance transportation is critical in reducing
postharvest chemical and nutritional quality losses of tomatoes.

Keywords: Lycopene; Vibration; Total soluble solid; Titratable acidity; Temperature