title: Use of portable devices and confocal Raman spectrometers at different wavelength to obtain the spectral information of the main organic components in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits.
abstract: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit samples, in two ripening stages, ripe (red) and unripe (green), collected from a cultivar in the North of Spain (Barrika, Basque Country), were analyzed directly, without any sample pretreatment, with two different Raman instruments (portable spectrometer coupled to a micro-videocamera and a confocal Raman microscope), using two different laser excitation wavelengths (514 and 785 nm, only for the confocal microscope). The combined use of these laser excitation wavelengths allows obtaining, in a short period of time, the maximum spectral information about the main organic compounds present in this fruit. The major identified components of unripe tomatoes were cutin and cuticular waxes. On the other hand, the main components on ripe tomatoes were carotenes, polyphenoles and polysaccharides. Among the carotenes, it was possible to distinguish the presence of lycopene from β-carotene with the help of both excitation wavelengths, but specially using the 514 nm one, which revealed specific overtones and combination tones of this type of carotene.
authors: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), P.O. Box 664, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. josugotzon.trebolazabala@ehu.es
authors: Josu
authors: J
authors: Trebolazabala
authors: Maite
authors: M
authors: Maguregui
authors: Héctor
authors: H
authors: Morillas
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: de Diego
authors: Juan Manuel
authors: JM
authors: Madariaga
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014885:Waxes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D059808:Polyphenols; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014885:Waxes; D002338:Carotenoids; C000521:cutin; D000077276:Lycopene