title: Bioactive compounds, folates and antioxidant properties of tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) during vine ripening.
abstract: Bioactive compounds and their relationship with antioxidant activity were determined in three tomato cultivars (Ronaldo, Siena and Copo) during vine ripening. The lycopene, chlorophyll (total, a and b), total phenolic, flavonoid, vitamin C and folate contents, and the antioxidant activity, by the ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay and the beta-carotene lineolate system, were determined in the samples. Tomato ripening involved the breakdown of chlorophylls, accompanied by a continuous increase in the lycopene content. Total phenolics, flavonoids and vitamin C increased significantly during ripening, whereas the folate content fell markedly as tomatoes turned from green to red. The lycopene and flavonoid content was highest in the Copo cultivar, vitamin C and folate highest in Ronaldo, and total phenolics highest in Siena. The antioxidant activity, as measured with the ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay, increased significantly during ripening in all extracts, and showed a positive correlation with the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. However, when measured with the beta-carotene lineolate system, the antioxidant activity decreased significantly during ripening; perhaps due to the antioxidant activity of chlorophylls and the peroxidation activity of vitamin C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Murcia University, Espinardo Murcia, Spain. mjperi@um.es
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jesús Periago
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Alonso
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belén Olivares
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: José Bernal
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolores Iniesta
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Gaspar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ros
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development*; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010858:Pigmentation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013045:Species Specificity; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D000077276:Lycopene; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate