Effect of illumination and chlorophylls on stability of tomato carotenoids

Lipidic extract from tomato peels, or tomato peels plus stalks, dissolved in ethanol were submitted to illumination. Lycopene, β-carotene, phytoene and phytofluene isomerisation and degradation, during storage at room temperature for 28 days, were studied. Degradation of chlorophylls a and b were analysed in lipidic extracts from stalks. Total lycopene and all-E-lycopene degradation was found to fit to a first-order model. The degradation rate constant was lower in extracts from peels −0.0137 (all-E-lycopene) and −0.0737 (total lycopene), than in those from peel plus stalk −0.0415 (all-E-lycopene) and −0.0854 (total lycopene). Z-lycopene isomers showed an inconsistence change during storage, in all analysed samples. Concentration of β-carotene from extracts of tomato peels plus stalks decreased slightly during storage. Phytoene and phytofluene degradation were not significantly affected by both storage conditions and chlorophylls. The obtained results showed that some compounds from stalks, such as chlorophylls, could favour lycopene and β-carotene degradation during storage under illumination.Authors acknowledge the technical support of María José Rodríguez. Research was supported by the MEC of Spain (Project No. AGL2002-03615).Peer reviewe