Nutritional quality of orange tomatoes for fresh consumption and processing products

In Argentina, commercial tomatoes for fresh consumption as well for processed products traditionally have red fruits. Although other fruit colors (yellow, purple) are present in the ?cherry? types, orange tomatoes for direct consumption or for the industry are not used. Our aim was to contribute to the diversification of the tomato market by generating cultivars of different colors and non-traditional fruit characteristics. Field comparative trials during several cycles at the Institute of Horticulture (FCA-UNCuyo, Mendoza) allowed the selection of two cultivars with good agronomic performance, productivity and fruit quality: cultivar 1, with determinate growth, three to five fruits per cluster, pear-shaped fruit with mammillate tip, orange, jointless; and cultivar 2, with indeterminate growth, three to five fruits per cluster, oval-shaped fruit, deep orange, jointless or with non-functional pedicel articulation. Fruits of the two varieties have good internal and external color, adequate pericarp thickness, homogeneous maturation, and fruits adapted to manual and mechanical concentrated harvest. Mature fresh fruits were characterized by physical and chemical traits including total polyphenols, lycopene and β-carotene content, and antioxidant activity, showing an interesting nutritional composition and different antioxidant properties. Using mature fruits, a marmalade was produced at the Pilot Processing Industry (FCA-UNCuyo, Mendoza), and its nutritional composition as well as its phytochemical contribution (polyphenols, lycopene and β-carotene) and antioxidant activity were determined. Finally, a consumer panel considered the aspect, color and odor of the marmalade attractive and expressed great acceptability of the new product. The marmalade had great acceptance and constitutes an interesting product with excellent nutritional value that could also provide part of the required antioxidant compounds in human diets. At present, the orange marmalade is commercialized locally by the Agronomy Faculty with significant acceptance by consumers. Orange tomato varieties have excellent nutritional properties and sensorial characteristics for direct consumption and for industrial processed products.Fil: Peralta, Iris Edith. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Peppi, D.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Sance, Maria Mirta. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción Agropecuaria. Cátedra de Horticultura y Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Asis, Ramón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Asprelli, Pablo Diego. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Mendoza-San Juan. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; ArgentinaFil: Galmarini, Claudio Romulo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Mendoza-San Juan. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentin