Determination of antioxidant vitamins in tomatoes

• Published in: Food chemistry 1997-10, Vol.60 (2), p.207-212
• Main Authors: Abushita, Abdulnabi A., Hebshi, Emhemed A., Daood, Hussein G., Biacs, Péter A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General pharmacology; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/S0308-8146(96)00321-4

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant vitamin (vitamin E, vitamin C and β-carotene) content of one of the most important vegetables, tomato, using modern analytical techniques. High-performance liquid chromatographic procedures allowed the separation and quantification of these vitamins as well as their analogues in different cultivars. Carotenoid extract could be fractionated into 14 components, including lycopene, β-carotene and lutein as the major ones. Paired-ion liquid chromatography provided excellent separation of ascorbic acid with high peak purity. In addition to different analogues of tocopherol, ubiquinone-10 could also be separated and sensitively detected by normal-phase chromatography and fluorescence detection. The highest concentrations (3.15–3.98 μg g −1) of total tocopherol (mainly α-analogue) were found in tomato fruits of Katinka, Gitana and Floriset cultivars. The vitamin C content was maximal (36–48 mg per 100 g) in DRW 3126, Primato, Tampo and Monika cultivars. The highest values for β-carotene were found in Monika, Ultimo and Falcato cultivars (3.5–3.9 μg g −1). The dynamics of fruit ripening were also examined.