The effect of processing technologies on lycopene in tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum L.)

The aim of this study is to determine the amount of lycopene, which is very important in terms of healthy nutrition and that is present in fresh tomatoes, in ketchup, tomato juice, dried tomatoes, during tomato paste processing and final product. Recently, due to the high lycopene content the importance of tomato increased. Because Lycopene contains more antioxidant subtances than other carotenoids. Foods contains one or more from antioxidant substances (s). In this study, tomato paste processes at 5 stages, lycopene values were found in the range of 89.14 – 581.35 mg/kg. Lycopene values were determined as of high to low ranking; evaporator ˃ the end product(tomato paste) ˃ shredder ˃ fresh tomatoes ˃ preheating. In pre-heating phase lycopene value was low (89.14 ± 1.476 mg/kg), while the highest lycopene value was found at evaporation stage (581.35 ± 11.795 mg/kg). Among all products, lycopene values were found in the range of 88.56 – 550.30 mg/kg. Lycopene values of all products in the ranking from high to low values are as follows; the end product (tomato paste) ˃ 50% dehydrated tomato ˃ 70% dehydrated tomato ˃ ketchup ˃ tomato juice. Tomato juice product found to have low lycopene (88.56± 2.566 mg/kg), while the final products of tomato paste have a value of highest lycopene (550.30 ± 46.75 mg/kg). The results were found out for soluble dry matter 28.01 – 28.27 °Brix, for pH 4.06 – 4.52 for total acidity 0.07 – 1.13g/100g, % ash 0.41 – 13.38 %, for Hunter color (a/b rate) 1.82 – 2.45, for viscosity 3.57 – 4.03, for percent of invert sugar at total dry matter 42.29 – 322.97%; for black spot 0 /10g. It was found out that mean values of investigated all samples conformity to TS 1466 Tomato Paste - Puree, TS 5282 Ketchup, TS 1595 Tomato juice and TS 3926 Dehydrated Tomatoes Standart. Key words: Tomatoes, Carotenoid, Lycopene, Antioxidant activity, Paste, Tomatoes juice, Dehydrated tomatoes, Ketchup.