Mechanical properties of tomato exocarp, mesocarp and locular gel tissues

► Tomato was regarded as a multibody system, which consist of three portions. ► Et of tomato exocarp tissue varied 4.601–9.59MPa. ► Ec of mesocarp and locular gel varied 0.726–0.846MPa and 0.048–0.124MPa respectively. ► Variety had a significant effect on the σc, Ec, σt, Et and τs, but not σb and Eb. ► E of outer layer tissue of tomato fruit was higher than that of inner layer tissue. In order to accurately predict the internal stress distribution and damage region of tomato fruit subjected to an external force using finite element method, the tomato fruit can be regarded as a multibody system which consists of exocarp, mesocarp and locular gel tissues. In the paper, these tissues’ mechanical properties of two tomato varieties were determined using different types of test. Results showed the tension failure stress and elastic modulus of exocarp tissue varied from 0.421 to 0.582MPa and 4.601 to 9.59MPa respectively; the compression failure stress and elastic modulus of mesocarp tissue varied from 0.122 to 0.229MPa and 0.726 to 0.846MPa respectively; the compression failure stress and elastic modulus of locular gel tissue varied from 0.012 to 0.016MPa and 0.048 to 0.124MPa respectively; the failure stress and elastic modulus values of outer layer tissue of tomato fruit were higher than those of inner layer tissue.