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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317548
Title: The impact of kitchen and food service preparation practices on the volatile aroma profile in ripe tomatoes: Effects of refrigeration and blanching

Author
item WANG, LIBIN - Nanjing Agricultural University
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz
item YU, ZHIFANG - Nanjing Agricultural University
item Bai, Jinhe

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2015
Publication Date: 6/1/2016
Citation: Wang, L., Baldwin, E.A., Yu, Z., Bai, J. 2016. The impact of kitchen and food service preparation practices on the volatile aroma profile in ripe tomatoes: Effects of refrigeration and blanching. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society. 128:176-182.

Interpretive Summary: Consumers and food service operations chill (refrigeration) and/or blanch tomatoes prior to consumption or product preparation. These storage and preparation practices affect the tomato aroma by suppressing volatile compounds, thus impacting flavor, and therefore, are not recommended.

Technical Abstract: Both refrigeration and blanching of red stage tomatoes are common practices in Japan home kitchens and in food service operations. However, little is reported on the impact of such practices on aroma profiles in tomato fruits. In this study, ‘FL 47’ tomatoes at red stage were dipped in 50 °C hot water for 5 min or exposed to 5 °C for 4 days to simulate consumer handling of tomato in home kitchens. Of the 42 volatile compounds detected, refrigeration generally suppressed production of aldehydes, alcohols, oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds, and nitrogen- and oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds, including the following abundant and/or important volatiles: pentanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylbutanal, hexanal, cis-3-hexenal, trans-2-hexenal, 2-phenylacetaldehyde, pentanol, 3-methylbutanol, 2-phenylethanol, 1-penten-3-one, geranial, and geranylacetone. On the other hand, the production of aldehydes, alcohols, hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds, and nitrogen- and oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds were reduced by blanching, associated with low concentrations of 2-methylbutanal, pentanal, cis-3-hexenal, trans-2-hexenal, 2-phenylacetaldehyde, pentanol, 2-methylbutanol, and 2-phenylethanol. These results indicate that a short blanching or refrigeration of tomatoes substantially impacts tomato aroma quality, and are not recommended.