Comparison of lycopene changes between open-field processing and fresh market tomatoes during ripening and postharvest storage by using a non-destructive reflectance sensor

BACKGROUND: Accumulation and stability of tomato lycopene markedly depends on the cultivar, plant growing and storage conditions. To estimate lycopene in open-field cultivated processing and fresh market tomatoes, we used a calibrated spectral reflectance portable sensor. RESULTS: Lycopene accumulation in fruits attached to the plant, starting from the Green ripening stage, followed a sigmoidal function. It was faster and reached higher levels in processing (cv. Calista) than fresh market (cv. Volna) tomatoes (90 and 62 mg kg-1 FW, respectively). During storage at 12, 20 and 25 °C, Red tomatoes retained about 90% of harvest lycopene for 3 weeks. Pink tomatoes increased lycopene during the first week of storage, but never reached the lycopene values of Red tomatoes ripened on the vine. Storability at 12 °C retaining the highest quality in Red tomatoes was limited to 14 and 7 days for Calista and Volna cvs., respectively. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in lycopene accumulation and stability between processing and fresh market tomatoes were precisely established following with time the very same fruits by a non-destructive optical tool. It can be useful in agronomical and postharvest physiological studies and can be of interest for producers oriented to the niche nutraceutical market.