Harvested tomato quality and nutritional levels as affected by high temperatures in Mediterranean wholesale markets, and home or refrigerated temperatures

The goal of the research was to evaluate the influence of different Mediterranean'market/shelf life' temperatures (12, 20 and 30°C) on external and internal quality of tomato after five and nine days in storage. Keeping tomatoes at 30°C signifícantly accelerated water loss and fruit softening compared with fruits kept at 20 or 12°C, after five and nine days. Color development was signifícantly inhibited by exposure to both 12 and 30°C, compared with fruit kept at 20°C. Very little change was observed in percentages of total soluble solids (TSS) and acidity (TA) in fruit kept at the three temperatures for the two storage periods. Vitamin C (AA) was signifícantly higher in fruits kept at 20°C, especially after nine days. The amount of total aroma volatiles after nine days storage was less than that after five days storage. After five or nine days at 30°C, the total amounts of the volatiles were significantly less than those in fruits held at 20 or 12°C. The 'green' notes were the most prominent volatiles after the two storage periods at the three temperatures. After five days, volatiles associated with the 'fruity' note were relatively high in fruit held at 20 and 30°C; after nine days, the volatiles associated with 'fruity' and 'sweet' notes signifícantly increased in fruit kept at 12 and 20°C, whereas linalool, an important 'flowery' note in tomato, increased in fruit kept at 20°C. It is concluded that tomato fruits can be kept at high temperature (30°C) for up to five days without deterioration of external, internal and sensory quality parameters. For further storage, tomatoes should be purchased from retail markets and kept at temperatures around 20°C.