Quality of italian tomato fruit from organic and conventional production systems and stored at two temperatures

Abstract

The quality attributes of Italian tomato fruit produced in organic and conven-tional systems, and packed and stored at room temperature (24±2.0°C and 32±2% RH) or cool conditions (12±1°C and 73±1% RH) for 20 days were determined. Color, firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, lycopene, β carotene, total phenolics and total antioxidant activity were evaluated. Concentrations of lycopene, β carotene, vitamin C, acidity, phenolics and antioxidant activity were influenced by the cropping system, and time and temperature of storage. Fruit produced organically had higher concentrations of vitamin C throughout storage as well as higher soluble solids at 0, 10 and 20 days, and higher antioxidant activity at 0, 5 and 10 days than conventional fruit regardless of storage temperature. Fruit from the conventional cropping system had higher acidity than organically produced fruit at 5 and 15 days of room and cool storage. At 10, 15 and 20 days, there were no differences in lycopene concentrations of tomatoes between cropping systems.