Physicochemical Characteristics and Bioactive Compounds of New Black Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Varieties Grown in Vietnam

Some physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of three varieties of black cherry tomato (Indigo Rose, OG, F1:001) grown in Vietnam were investigated. The results showed that the two varieties OG and F1:001 have roughly the same size with weight, height, diameter, geometric diameter and surface area ranging from 21.62 to 22.25 g, 25.69 to 26.40 mm, 24.46 to 25.11 mm, 24.86 to 25.53 mm and 19.47 to 20.51 cm(2), respectively. Meanwhile, the Indigo variety is twice as large with the corresponding parameters as 45.2 g, 48.03 mm, 55.18 mm, 52.69 mm and 87.20 cm(2). All three varieties are in a spherical shape with sphericity and aspect ratios ranging from 96.72 to 109.69% and 0.951 to 1.149, respectively. The variety of OG contained higher levels of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanin, not only in the skin but also in the outer tissue. Six anthocyanin compounds were identified in the two varieties of OG and Indigo Rose while only four anthocyanin compounds were found in the variety of F1:001. Among them, two new compounds (delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-glucoside and delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-glucoside-arabinoside) were discovered in all three varieties. The finding of this study will be a basis for consumers to better understand the nutritious properties of black cherry tomatoes grown in Vietnam, thereby promoting the need to grow and consume this beneficial fruit. The study also provides the important physicochemical parameters of black cherry tomatoes, which are the initial basis for fruit preservation and processing.