title: Stimulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid production in vine-ripe tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits under modified atmospheres.
abstract: Stimulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production under low O2 and high CO2 conditions (adjusted aerobic atmosphere) under which ethanol fermentation could be avoided was studied. Vine-ripe tomato fruits were stored under hypoxia conditions and adjusted aerobic atmospheres as well as in the air at 15 degrees C for 13 days and at 30 degrees C for 6 days. At 30 degrees C tomato fruit GABA concentration under the adjusted aerobic atmosphere (O2 11%, CO2 9%) was significantly higher by 48% than that in air after 6 days from the start of storage. Increased accumulation of alanine under the adjusted aerobic atmosphere supports the observation that this atmosphere stimulates GABA production. The results demonstrate that the concentration of GABA as a beneficial substance for antihypertensive effects and so on can be increased by storing tomato fruits under adjusted aerobic atmospheres for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan. amakino@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Norikazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soga
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oshita
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawagoe
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010100:Oxygen