The dynamics of fruit quality during ripening of mature green tomato
2018
Nakagawa, T. | Johkan, M. | Kondo, N. | Hohjo, M. | Tsukagoshi, S. | Maruo, T.
The authors propose a new system for export of high-quality tomato fruit involving harvesting at the mature green stage and ripening in the importing country. In this study, the postharvest dynamics of tomato fruit quality from the mature green to red ripe stage were investigated. The harvested mature green fruit was ripened to the red ripe stage in an incubator at 20°C. After 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14 days of ripening, the fruit quality was investigated. The soluble solid content remained constant during ripening. The acidity, which was highest at harvest, decreased with ripening. The glucose and fructose contents, which were lowest at the start of ripening, increased at the early ripening stage and thereafter remained constant. There was no difference in the sucrose content during ripening. The chlorophyll and insoluble pectin contents were highest at the start of ripening and decreased with ripening, whereas the lycopene and soluble pectin contents drastically increased after ripening; chlorophyll disappeared completely at the end of ripening. The hardness also decreased with ripening. The dynamics of soluble solid content, acidity, sugars, chlorophyll, lycopene, β-carotene, firmness values, and pectin of postharvest-ripened fruit harvested at the mature green stage were consistent with those of fruit ripened on-tree. The total sugar concentration, SSC and acidity levels, which are important values for fruit quality and flavor, were the same as those of market fruit. Thus, the fruit quality and flavor of postharvest-ripened fruit harvested at the mature green stage were considered equal to those of on-tree ripened fruit.
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