Study on effect of processing and storage conditions on total phenolic and antioxidant properties of tomato

Abstract

From the last decade there has been a tremendous increase in demand of ready to eat food products by the consumers behind which there are several reasons such as growing awareness, increase in working women etc. These kind of products are healthy, appetising, nutritive with natural flavours. Tomato is one of the largest commercial vegetable in the world and second most consumed vegetable in the world. The awareness of harmful effects of free radicals for human health has recently increased. Free radicals are very unstable molecules arising physiologically during cellular aerobic metabolism (2-3% of oxygen consumed by a cell is converted into free radicals). These free radicals react quickly with other compounds and begin the chain reactions. Normally, the human body can handle these compounds, but if their amount becomes excessive, damage can occur. Antioxidants are capable of stabilizing, or deactivating, free radicals before they attack cells. Antioxidants are absolutely critical for maintaining optimal cellular and systemic health and well-being. Antioxidants involve variety of components, both endogenous and exogenous in origin, that function interactively and synergistically to neutralize free radicals. The comparative study shows that the total phenolic content and antioxidant properties of fresh tomato is less and it increases after processing.