Beneficial effects and potential risks of tomato consumption for human health: An overview

Association between tomato consumption and blood pressure in an older population at high cardiovascular risk: observational analysis of PREDIMED trial

AIMS

Clinical studies have produced conflicting evidence on the effects of the consumption of tomatoes on blood pressure, and there are limited data from epidemiologic studies. This study assesses whether tomato consumption (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the risk of hypertension in a prospective 3-year longitudinal study in older adults at high cardiovascular risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The present study was carried out within the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial involving 7056 (82.5% hypertensive) participants. The consumption of tomato (g/day) was measured using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire and categorized into four groups: lowest (<44 g), intermediate (44-82 g), upper-intermediate (82-110 g), and highest (>110 g). Multilevel linear mixed models examined blood pressure and tomato consumption association. Cox proportional-hazards models analysed hypertension risk in 1097 non-hypertensive participants, studying risk reductions vs. the lowest tomato consumers. An inverse association between tomato consumption and diastolic blood pressure was observed between the intermediate group β = -0.65 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): -1.20, -0.10] and the lowest consumption group. A significant inverse association was observed for blood pressure in grade 1 hypertension participants in the intermediate tomato consumption group. The risk of hypertension decreased with consumption of >110 g/day tomato (highest vs. lowest consumption; hazard ratio, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.51-0.89]).

CONCLUSION

Tomato consumption, including tomato-based products, is beneficial in preventing and managing hypertension. Higher tomato intake reduces hypertension risk by 36%, and moderate consumption lowers blood pressure, especially in grade 1 hypertension.

Qualitative Characteristics and Functional Properties of Cherry Tomato under Soilless Culture Depending on Rootstock Variety, Harvesting Time and Bunch Portion

Tomato grafting is an effective practice in increasing the profitability of fresh-market tomato cultivation, especially in greenhouses, and is also considered a strategy for enhancing fruit quality. In this study, selected quanti-qualitative traits, and the of bioactive health-promoting compound and organic acid contents of cherry tomato fruits from three different scion/rootstock combinations (Sunstream/Top Bental, Sunstream/Kaiser and Sunstream/Suzuka) grown under a greenhouse hydroponic system were evaluated in three different harvests (beginning, middle and end of the whole harvesting period) and on three different bunch portions (proximal, central and distal). Although the tomato productive performance was influenced by the rootstock, with Suzuka and Kaiser grafted plants showing the highest total marketable yield (9.8 kg plant-1, i.e., 20% more than Top Bental), the yield-related traits (bunch number, weight and length per plant, and fruit number per bunch) and the qualitative characteristics of the fruits (color, equatorial and polar diameters, dry matter and solid soluble contents, pH and titratable acidity) showed less variability, by displaying, along with the bioactive compound contents (total polyphenols, lycopene, β-carotene), DPPH free radical scavenging activity and organic acids contents (lactic and acetic), a significant effect of the harvesting time and bunch portion. Fruits from the beginning of the harvesting period showed better qualitative and functional properties, with the lycopene and β-carotene contents equal to 178.6 and 3 mg 100 g-1 fw, and fruits from proximal and central bunch portions had lycopene and β-carotene contents equal to 203.1 and 2.9 mg 100 g-1 fw.

Qualitative evaluation of artificial intelligence-generated weight management diet plans

Importance

The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly via large language models, is increasingly being manifested in healthcare. Dietary interventions are foundational to weight management efforts, but whether AI techniques are presently capable of generating clinically applicable diet plans has not been evaluated.

Objective

Our study sought to evaluate the potential of personalized AI-generated weight-loss diet plans for clinical applications by employing a survey-based assessment conducted by experts in the fields of obesity medicine and clinical nutrition.

Design setting and participants

We utilized ChatGPT (4.0) to create weight-loss diet plans and selected two control diet plans from tertiary medical centers for comparison. Dietitians, physicians, and nurse practitioners specializing in obesity medicine or nutrition were invited to provide feedback on the AI-generated plans. Each plan was assessed blindly based on its effectiveness, balanced-ness, comprehensiveness, flexibility, and applicability. Personalized plans for hypothetical patients with specific health conditions were also evaluated.

Main outcomes and measures

The primary outcomes measured included the indistinguishability of the AI diet plan from human-created plans, and the potential of personalized AI-generated diet plans for real-world clinical applications.

Results

Of 95 participants, 67 completed the survey and were included in the final analysis. No significant differences were found among the three weight-loss diet plans in any evaluation category. Among the 14 experts who believed that they could identify the AI plan, only five did so correctly. In an evaluation involving 57 experts, the AI-generated personalized weight-loss diet plan was assessed, with scores above neutral for all evaluation variables. Several limitations, of the AI-generated plans were highlighted, including conflicting dietary considerations, lack of affordability, and insufficient specificity in recommendations, such as exact portion sizes. These limitations suggest that refining inputs could enhance the quality and applicability of AI-generated diet plans.

Conclusion

Despite certain limitations, our study highlights the potential of AI-generated diet plans for clinical applications. AI-generated dietary plans were frequently indistinguishable from diet plans widely used at major tertiary medical centers. Although further refinement and prospective studies are needed, these findings illustrate the potential of AI in advancing personalized weight-centric care.

Bimetallic nanoparticles and biochar produced by Adansonia Digitata shell and their effect against tomato pathogenic fungi

Adansonia digitata L. is a royal tree that is highly valued in Africa for its medicinal and nutritional properties. The objective of this study was to use its fruit shell extract to develop new, powerful mono and bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) and biochar (BC) using an eco-friendly approach. Silver (Ag), iron oxide (FeO), the bimetallic Ag-FeO NPs, as well as (BC) were fabricated by A. digitata fruit shell extract through a reduction process and biomass pyrolysis, respectively, and their activity against tomato pathogenic fungi Alternaria sp., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Fusarium equiseti, and Fusarium venenatum were detected by agar dilution method. The Ag, FeO, Ag-FeONPs, and BC were characterized using a range of powerful analytical techniques such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FT-IR), dynamic light scatter (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. The fabricated Ag, FeO and Ag-FeO NPs have demonstrated a remarkable level of effectiveness in combating fungal strains. UV-Vis spectra ofAg, FeO, Ag-FeONPs, and BC show broad exhibits peaks at 338, 352, 418, and 480 nm, respectively. The monometallic, bimetallic NPs, and biochar have indicated the presence in various forms mostly in Spherical-shaped. Their size varied from 102.3 to 183.5 nm and the corresponding FTIR spectra suggested that the specific organic functional groups from the plant extract played a significant role in the bio-reduction process. Ag and Ag-FeO NPs exhibited excellent antifungal activity against pathogenic fungi Alternaria sp., S. sclerotiorum, F. equiseti, and F. venenatum. The current study could be a significant achievement in the field of antifungal agents since has the potential to develop new approaches for treating fungal infections.

Gut Microbiome and Metabolome Modulation by High-Hydrostatic-Pressure-Processed Tomato Juice

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is a non-thermal pasteurization technology for the enhancement of food products' safety and quality. The components of tomato juice can be affected by HHP processing. Little is known about the effects of HHP-processed tomato juice on the gut microbiome and metabolism. Here, we performed high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics profiling to determine the critical differences in gut microbiota structure and metabolic profiles in mice administered with HHP-processed tomato juice. Tomato juice administration significantly increased the gut bacterial alpha diversity and the relative abundance of Bacteroides. The mice administered with HHP-processed tomato juice were characterized by the enrichment of Bacteroidetes, Alistieps, and Faecalibaculum compared with those administered with HTST-processed tomato juice. Moreover, HHP-processed tomato juice promoted SCFA levels, which were positively correlated with the enriched Alistieps. Our results show that HHP-processed tomato juice may drive healthy gut microbes and metabolites.

Optimization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) juice fermentation process and analysis of its metabolites during fermentation

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a nutritious fruit and vegetable. Fermentation can be used to enhance their nutritional value. In this study, the tomato juice was co-fermented with multistrains, optimized by uniform experimental design and response surface methodology. Superoxide dismutase activity reached 496.67 U/g and lycopene content reached 77.12μg/g when P. pentosaceus (53.79%), L. casei (13.17%), L. plantarum (19.87%), L. fermentum (13.17%). To gain insight into the dynamics of metabolites during the tomato fermentation juice process multivariate statistical analysis was performed using the UHPLC-QE-MS/MS method. The main metabolites are peptides, amino acids carbohydrates, organic acids, and phospholipids. Carbohydrates were fully retained at the end of fermentation.The content of galactitol increased from the initial 5.389 to 6.607 while the content of cytarabine decreased by 29% and uridine by 44%. Meanwhile, phospholipids (PS, PE, PC, PG, PI) were all retained by more than 70%. Terpenoids (16-deacetylgairin, (+)-Royleanone, artemisinin) were increased to varying degrees, which gives them good nutritional value and biological activity. Organic acids (malic and citric) were reduced and lactic acid content was increased, changing its original flavor and making it more palatable to the general population. The research results have demonstrated the benefits of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on tomato juice, providing a theoretical basis and reference for the fermentation metabolism process of tomato juice.

Determination of soluble solids content of multiple varieties of tomatoes by full transmission visible-near infrared spectroscopy

Introduction

Soluble solids content (SSC) is a pivotal parameter for assessing tomato quality. Traditional measurement methods are both destructive and time-consuming.

Methods

To enhance accuracy and efficiency in SSC assessment, this study employs full transmission visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy and multi-point spectral data collection techniques to quantitatively analyze SSC in two tomato varieties ('Provence' and 'Jingcai No.8' tomatoes). Preprocessing of the multi-point spectra is carried out using a weighted averaging approach, aimed at noise reduction, signal-to-noise ratio improvement, and overall data quality enhancement. Taking into account the potential influence of various detection orientations and preprocessing methods on model outcomes, we investigate the combination of partial least squares regression (PLSR) with two orientations (O1 and O2) and two preprocessing techniques (Savitzky-Golay smoothing (SG) and Standard Normal Variate transformation (SNV)) in the development of SSC prediction models.

Results

The model achieved the best results in the O2 orientation and SNV pretreatment as follows: 'Provence' tomato (Rp = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.69°Brix) and 'Jingcai No.8' tomatoes (Rp = 0.84, RMSEP = 0.64°Brix). To further optimize the model, characteristic wavelength selection is introduced through Least Angle Regression (LARS) with L1 and L2 regularization. Notably, when λ=0.004, LARS-L1 produces superior results ('Provence' tomato: Rp = 0.95, RMSEP = 0.35°Brix; 'Jingcai No.8' tomato: Rp = 0.96, RMSEP = 0.33°Brix).

Discussion

This study underscores the effectiveness of full transmission Vis-NIR spectroscopy in predicting SSC in different tomato varieties, offering a viable method for accurate and swift SSC assessment in tomatoes.

Plasma proteome profiling reveals molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of daily consumption of 'Bahia' and 'Cara Cara' orange juices

Orange juice is an important food source of bioactive compounds, mainly the flavanones hesperidin and narirutin. This study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of action of orange juice's health properties by analyzing changes in the plasma proteome of healthy Brazilian volunteers after consuming juices made from 'Bahia' (BOJ-source of flavanones) and 'Cara Cara' (CCOJ-source of flavanones and carotenoids) oranges cultivated in Brazil. We used an untargeted proteomic approach, with a particular emphasis on the juices' effects on blood coagulant activity. We identified 247 differentially expressed proteins, of which 170 significantly increased or decreased after BOJ consumption and 145 after CCOJ. These proteins are involved in 105 processes that can significantly regulate cell adhesion, cell signaling, cell metabolism, inflammation, or others. Bioinformatic analysis evidenced proteins with major cellular regulatory capacity (e.g., FN1 and GAPDH) and predicted transcription factors (TFs) (e.g., SP1 and CEBPA) and miRNAs (e.g., miR-1-3p and miR-615-3p) that could be involved in the regulation of differentially expressed proteins. In-silico docking analyses between flavanone metabolites and TFs evidenced the higher binding capacity of narirutin phase II metabolites with akt1 and p38, interactions that suggest how the expression of genes of differentially expressed proteins were activated or inhibited. Moreover, the study shed light on proteins of coagulation cascade that presented expression modulated by both juices, proposing the modulation of blood coagulant activity as a potential benefit of OJ (mainly CCOJ) consumption. Taken together, this study revealed that BOJ and CCOJ consumption affected plasma proteome in healthy individuals, suggesting potential molecular targets and mechanisms of OJ bioactive compounds in humans.

Influence of Pasteurisation (Conventional vs. Radiofrequency) and Chill Storage on Retention of Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol and Carotenoids in Salmorejo

Salmorejo, a Mediterranean tomato-oil puree, is considered a dietary source of antioxidant vitamins C and E and carotenoids lycopene and β-carotene, the latter endowed with provitamin A activity. However, these antioxidants can be degraded in oxidation reactions catalysed or not by enzymes during pasteurisation and storage treatments used to stabilise the salmorejo before consumption. Due to its better penetration, the use of dielectric heating by radiofrequency (RF) may improve results of pasteurisation in this product. The objective was to assess the effects of pasteurisation temperature (70-100 °C, at 5 °C intervals) and storage time (0-5 months, at one-month intervals) on levels of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol and carotenoids and antioxidant capacity (AC) in salmorejo pasteurised (over 10 s) by conventional (CH) or RF continuous heating. Two successive experiments were conducted to select an adequate pasteurisation temperature for use in the shelf-life study. Pasteurisation upon tested conditions allows a good retention of salmorejo antioxidants. Either CH or RF pasteurisers can be used with similar results. Vitamin C (L-ascorbic + dehydroascorbic acids) was more abundant (15-19 mg 100 g-1) than carotenoids (0.9-2.6 mg 100 g-1) (all-trans + cis lycopene and β-carotene) and α-tocopherol (0.8-1.2 mg 100 g-1) in the pasteurised product. Using excessively low temperatures (70 °C) resulted in partial losses of the three antioxidants, possibly due to oxidase residual activities. Intensifying thermal treatment improved this issue with minor losses of the thermolabile vitamin C and increased carotenoid content. Using a suitable temperature (80 °C) did not prevent most vitamin C from being degraded by the first month, while α-tocopherol, and, to a lesser extent, carotenoids, showed good retention levels during shelf life under refrigeration. Vitamins C and E and carotenoids, either by degradation, regeneration or releasing, likely contribute to the AC in salmorejo. Phenolic antioxidant response, radical-scavenging activities and redox potential values confirmed this finding. The pasteurised-chilled salmorejo shows good antioxidant properties with potential health implications, a positive nutritional aspect for consumers of this tomato-oil homogenate. The losses of antioxidants and AC due to pasteurization would be of little relevance compared to the losses accumulated during shelf life.

Role of formulated bacterial consortia in biofortifying tomato fruits with nutrients: A nutritional, genomic and metagenomic analysis

Nutrient deficiencies are a major problem that is prone to affect millions of people around the globe. Biofortification, a process of enriching nutrients in staple food crops is an effective method to tackle this malnutrition-associated disorder. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally consumed crop and therefore is a suitable candidate for biofortification. Many plant growth-promoting bacteria are reported to have the ability to enhance nutrient content in plants. In the present study, we have investigated the ability of two bacterial consortia (consortia-1 -co-culturing Lysinibacillus sp. strain VITKC-5 and Acinetobacter Sp. strain VITKC_6; and consortia-2 -co-culturing Lysinibacillus sp. strain VITKC-5 and Enterobacter sp. strain VITVLC-4) in the nutrient enrichment of tomato fruits. The results were then correlated with the elevated expression of nutrient transporter genes. Furthermore, the effect of these bacterial formulations on the indigenous microbiome has also been evaluated through metagenomic analysis. The application of bacterial formulations significantly improved the nutrient content when compared to the control (untreated) group. These findings advocate that PGPB-assisted biofortification has the potential to alleviate nutrient deficiency in humans.

Application of Hyperspectral Imaging as a Nondestructive Technology for Identifying Tomato Maturity and Quantitatively Predicting Lycopene Content

Maturity is a crucial indicator in assessing the quality of tomatoes, and it is closely related to lycopene content. Using hyperspectral imaging, this study aimed to monitor tomato maturity and predict its lycopene content at different maturity stages. Standard normal variable (SNV) transformation was applied to preprocess the hyperspectral data. Then, using competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), the characteristic wavelengths were selected to simplify the calibration models. Based on the full and characteristic wavelengths, a support vector classifier (SVC) model was developed to determine tomato maturity qualitatively. The results demonstrated that the classification accuracy using the characteristic wavelength led to the obtention of better results with an accuracy of 95.83%. In addition, the support vector regression (SVR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were utilized to predict lycopene content. With a coefficient of determination for prediction (R2P) of 0.9652 and a root mean square error for prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0166 mg/kg, the SVR model exhibited the best quantitative prediction capacity based on the characteristic wavelengths. Following this, a visual distribution map was created to evaluate the lycopene content in tomato fruit intuitively. The results demonstrated the viability of hyperspectral imaging for detecting tomato maturity and quantitatively predicting the lycopene content during storage.

Improvement by application of three nanomaterials on flavor quality and physiological and antioxidant properties of tomato and their comparison

In recent years, it has been found that the flavor quality of tomato is continuously reduced compared with the original tomato varieties. Studies have found that nanomaterials can improve crop quality, but the differences and related mechanisms among different nanomaterials were not reported. In this study, nano-Se, nano-TiO2 and nano-CeO2 were spraying on tomato, and the effects of the three nanomaterials on the flavor quality and physiological and antioxidant properties of fruits were analyzed and compared. The results showed compared with nano-TiO2 and nano-CeO2, nano-Se showed more obvious positive effects. Nano-Se increased the size and weight of tomato fruits and the levels of soluble sugar, promoted the accumulation of photosynthetic pigment, decreased the content of titratable acid, and also changed the expression of related genes, finally making the fruit sweeter; it also promoted the accumulation of antioxidant substances and nutrients such as lycopene, ascorbic acid, salicylic acid, GSH, SOD and CAT and decreased the content of MDA, H2O2 and OFR thus improving the antioxidant performance of fruits; the contents of volatiles were also increased and the olfactory experience of tomato was improved. Nano-TiO2 and nano-CeO2 also improved the flavor quality and antioxidant properties of tomato, but the degree was lower than nano-Se. This experiment provided references for selecting more appropriate nanomaterials to improve tomato quality, and revealed the effects and mechanisms of different nanomaterials on tomato quality.

Formulation of Edible Coatings from Alfalfa Saponins to Enhance the Postharvest Quality of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a major crop for global exports and have significant nutritional benefits. However, their lifespan is limited due to various biotic and abiotic factors. This study aimed to formulate an edible coating using crude alfalfa saponins coupled with decaglycerol monolaurate (ML-750) and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20), to enhance the postharvest quality and shelf life of tomatoes by preventing spoilage. The effectiveness of alfalfa saponins coatings, both alone, and with ML-750 and Tween 20, was evaluated by comparing their impact on color, texture, overall acceptability, and % weight loss at 4°C and 25°C for 7 days. Significant improvements were observed in the quality attributes of tomatoes, including firmness, aroma, color, texture, and overall acceptability. Crude alfalfa saponins in emulsified form with Tween 20 increased the shelf stability of tomatoes more effectively than uncoated and ML-750 combined coatings. The total soluble solids (TSS) and pH also play a crucial role in determining the quality of the fruits. The results indicated no significant changes in the TSS of tomatoes coated with encapsulated saponins. Subsequently, a gradual increase in the pH of the coated tomatoes was observed on days 5 and 7, respectively. The findings of this study revealed that alfalfa saponins coupled with synthetic emulsifiers may be a beneficial strategy for prolonging the shelf life and improving the postharvest quality of tomatoes.

Improving Whole Tomato Transformation for Prostate Health: Benign Prostate Hypertrophy as an Exploratory Model

It is well-established that the beneficial properties of single phytonutrients can be better attained when they are taken with the complex of the molecules present in their natural milieu. Tomato, the fruit providing the most comprehensive complex of prostate-health-preserving micronutrients, has been shown to be superior to its single-nutrient counterparts in decreasing the incidence of age-related prostate diseases. Herein, we describe a novel tomato food supplement enriched with olive polyphenols, containing cis-lycopene concentrations far exceeding those present in industry-produced tomato commodities. The supplement, endowed with antioxidant activity comparable to that of N-acetylcysteine, significantly reduced, in experimental animals, the blood levels of prostate-cancer-promoting cytokines. In prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies performed on patients affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia, its uptake significantly improved urinary symptoms and quality of life. Therefore, this supplement can complement and, in some cases, be an alternative to current benign prostatic hyperplasia management. Furthermore, the product suppressed carcinogenesis in the TRAMP mouse model of human prostate cancer and interfered with prostate cancer molecular signaling. Thus, it may offer a step forward in exploring the potential of tomato consumption to delay or prevent the onset of age-related prostate diseases in high-risk individuals.

Glyoxalase I Assay as a Possible Tool for Evaluation of Biological Activity of Antioxidant-Rich Plant Extracts

The health-promoting properties of natural plant bioactive compounds are mainly attributable to their ability to counteract oxidative stress. This is considered a major causative factor in aging and aging-related human diseases, in which a causal role is also ascribed to dicarbonyl stress. This is due to accumulation of methylglyoxal (MG) and other reactive dicarbonyl species, leading to macromolecule glycation and cell/tissue dysfunction. The glyoxalase (GLYI) enzyme, catalyzing the rate-limiting step of the GSH-dependent MG detoxification pathway, plays a key role in cell defense against dicarbonyl stress. Therefore, the study of GLYI regulation is of relevant interest. In particular, GLYI inducers are important for pharmacological interventions to sustain healthy aging and to improve dicarbonyl-related diseases; GLYI inhibitors, allowing increased MG levels to act as proapoptotic agents in tumor cells, are of special interest in cancer treatment. In this study, we performed a new in vitro exploration of biological activity of plant bioactive compounds by associating the measurement of their antioxidant capacity (AC) with the evaluation of their potential impact on dicarbonyl stress measured as capability to modulate GLYI activity. AC was evaluated using TEAC, ORAC, and LOX-FL methods. The GLYI assay was performed using a human recombinant isoform, in comparison with the recently characterized GLYI activity of durum wheat mitochondria. Different plant extracts were tested, obtained from plant sources with very high phytochemical content ('Sun Black' and wildtype tomatoes, black and 'Polignano' carrots, and durum wheat grain). Results showed high antioxidant properties of the tested extracts, associated with different modes (no effect, activation, and inhibition) and effectiveness in modulating both GLYI activity sources. Overall, results indicate the GLYI assay as an advisable and promising tool for researching plant foods as a source of natural antioxidant compounds acting as GLYI enzymatic regulators to be used for dietary management associated the treatment of oxidative/dicarbonyl-promoted diseases.

The association between dietary patterns derived by three statistical methods and type 2 diabetes risk: YaHS-TAMYZ and Shahedieh cohort studies

Findings were inconsistent regarding the superiority of using recently introduced hybrid methods to derive DPs compared to widely used statistical methods like principal component analysis (PCA) in assessing dietary patterns and their association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate the association between DPs extracted using principal component analysis (PCA), partial least-squares (PLS), and reduced-rank regressions (RRR) in identifying DPs associated with T2DM risk. The study was conducted in the context of two cohort studies accomplished in central Iran. Dietary intake data were collected by food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). DPs were derived by using PCA, PLS, and RRR methods considering. The association between DPs with the risk of T2DM was assessed using log-binomial logistic regression test. A total of 8667 participants aged 20-70 years were included in this study. In the multivariate-adjusted models, RRR-DP3 characterized by high intake of fruits, tomatoes, vegetable oils, and refined grains and low intake of processed meats, organ meats, margarine, and hydrogenated fats was significantly associated with a reduced T2DM risk (Q5 vs Q1: RR 0.540, 95% CI 0.33-0.87, P-trend = 0.020). No significant highest-lowest or trend association was observed between DPs derived using PCA or PLS and T2DM. The findings indicate that RRR method was more promising in identifying DPs that are related to T2DM risk compared to PCA and PLS methods.

The effects of fresh foods on performance: A review

In recent years, it is gradually becoming important for athletes to show sufficient performance at competitions. To improve performance, athletes use ergogenic aids such as protein powders, creatine, and glutamine. However, recent research has also been conducted into the possible ergogenic effects of several fresh foods on exercise. Nutrients show the ergogenic effect by having macro and micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive components. These potential ergogenic effects include muscle recovery, prevention of oxidative stress caused by exercise, improved performance, and inhibition of muscle damage. The purpose of this review was to examine the nutritional content and the effects of fresh foods such as beets, cherries, watermelon, tomatoes, grapes, and pomegranate.

Early warning and diagnostic visualization of Sclerotinia infected tomato based on hyperspectral imaging

This research explored the feasibility of early warning and diagnostic visualization of Sclerotinia infected tomato by using hyperspectral imaging technology. Healthy tomato plants and tomato plants with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were cultivated, and hyperspectral images at 400-1000 nm were collected from healthy and infected tomato leaves at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of incubation. After preprocessing the spectra with first derivative (FD), second derivative (SD), standard normal variant (SNV), and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and support vector machine (SVM) were used to construct tomato sclerotinia identification model and select the best preprocessing method. On this basis, two band screening methods, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and successive projections algorithm (SPA), were introduced to reduce data redundancy and improve the model's prediction accuracy. The results showed that the accuracy of the validation sets and operation speed of the CARS-PLS and CARS-SVM models were 87.88% and 1.8 s, and 87.95% and 1.78 s, respectively. The experiment was based on the SNV-CARS-SVM prediction model combined with image processing, spectral extraction, and visualization analysis methods to create diagnostic visualization software, which opens a new avenue to the implementation of online monitoring and early warning system for sclerotinia infected tomato.

Sustainable Valorization of Tomato Pomace (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Animal Nutrition: A Review

Under the background of the current shortage of feed resources, especially the shortage of protein feed, attempts to develop and utilize new feed resources are constantly being made. If the tomato pomace (TP) produced by industrial processing is used improperly, it will not only pollute the environment, but also cause feed resources to be wasted. This review summarizes the nutritional content of TP and its use and impact in animals as an animal feed supplement. Tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato processing, divided into peel, pulp, and tomato seeds, which are rich in proteins, fats, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids, as well as antioxidant bioactive compounds, such as lycopene, beta-carotenoids, tocopherols, polyphenols, and terpenes. There are mainly two forms of feed: drying and silage. Tomato pomace can improve animal feed intake and growth performance, increase polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and PUFA n-3 content in meat, improve meat color, nutritional value, and juiciness, enhance immunity and antioxidant capacity of animals, and improve sperm quality. Lowering the rumen pH and reducing CH₄ production in ruminants promotes the fermentation of rumen microorganisms and improves economic efficiency. Using tomato pomace instead of soybean meal as a protein supplement is a research hotspot in the animal husbandry industry, and further research should focus on the processing technology of TP and its large-scale application in feed.

Development of the whole tomato and olive-based food supplement enriched with anti-platelet aggregating nutrients

Background

Platelet dysfunctions are shared by cardiovascular diseases and a wide range of inflammatory diseases.

Aims

To determine the ability of a new whole tomato-based food supplement (WTBFS) containing carotenoid and olive polyphenols to inhibit platelet aggregation.

Methods

Aggregation was evaluated in platelet-rich plasma using microtiter plates and a plate reader.

Results

Platelets treated with WTBFS showed a >70% reduction of 5 µM adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation; at 10 µM of ADP, the inhibitory effect of WTBFS was reduced of about 50%. Similarly, 78% and 48% reduction were obtained using 5 µg/mL and 10 µg /mL of collagen as an agonist

Conclusion

Since the compounds in WTBFS share the ability to inhibit STAT3, the inhibition of its signaling pathway may represent the mechanism underlying the antiplatelet activities. The activity of a lipophilic solution prepared from WTBS was in vitro tested on the platelet aggregation in response to ADP agonists and Collagen.

Fruit nutritional composition, antioxidant and biochemical profiling of diverse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genetic resource

Tomato is the second most important vegetable crop consumed globally, by the virtue of its antioxidant-rich phytochemicals and bioactive compounds. Identifying genotypes with high antioxidant capacities and nutritionally rich phytochemicals is imperative for improving human health. The present study aimed to analyze 21 antioxidant and nutritional compounds in 93 geographically diverse, high yielding, better quality, stress tolerant tomato genotypes (hybrids, parental lines, inbred lines, and advanced lines). Significant variation (p < 0.05) was detected for investigated traits among the tested genotypes. Principal component analysis revealed the hybrids NIAB-Jauhar, Iron-lady F1, NBH-258, Ahmar F1, NIAB-Gohar, the parents H-24, B-25, AVTO1080, Astra and AVTO1003, as well as the lines LBR-17, AVTO1315, AVTO1311 and Lyp-1 revealed superior performance for the traits such as chlorophylls, lycopene, total carotenoids, total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, protease, alpha-amylase and total flavonoid content. Whereas the hybrids Surkhail F1, NBH-204, NBH-229, NBH-151, NBH-196, NBH-152, NBH-261, NBH-228, NIAB-Jauhar, NBH-256 and NBH-255, the lines 21354, AVTO1315, Newcherry, LA4097, AVTO1311 and UAF-1 together with the parents Naqeeb, NCEBR-5, M-82 and LBR-10 exhibited significant contribution to the traits such as total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid, esterase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Moreover, the semi-determinate and determinate tomato genotypes together with the categories parent and line with positive factor scores of 3.184, 0.015, 0.325 and 0.186 in PC- I, exhibited better performance for the trait such as total chlorophylls, lycopene, total carotenoids, total oxidant status, protease, alpha-amylase, total antioxidant capacity, esterase and total flavonoid content. Whereas again the semi-determinate and indeterminate tomato genotypes along with the category hybrid with positive factor scores of 2.619, 0.252 and 0.114 in PC- II, exhibited better performance for the traits such as total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, chlorophyll b, malondialdehyde content, ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. Hybrid vigor was observed in the hybrids for investigated traits. The aforementioned tomato genotypes showing outstanding performance in the respective traits can be exploited in the breeding programs to improve nutritional quality of tomato that can further improve human health.

Effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) on factors related to metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to explore whether the supplement of sea buckthorn affects the factors related to metabolic syndrome. The related RCTs from five databases were systematically searched and comprehensively random effects model was used to calculate SMD and 95% CI. The Cochrane deviation risk tool was used to evaluate the deviation risk. Fifteen studies were involved in the meta-analysis. First, sea buckthorn supplementation reduced triglycerides [-0.722 (-1.129, -0.316); p < .001], total cholesterol [-0.345 (-0.639, -0.051); p = .021], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [-0.396 (-0.755, -0.037); p = .031], and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol [0.370 (0.056, 0.684); p = .021] in overall subjects. Second, subgroup analysis showed that sea buckthorn supplementation reduced lipids only in people with abnormal lipid metabolism. Third, sea buckthorn had no effect on blood sugar, blood pressure, and BMI of the overall subjects. Sea buckthorn may affect the lipid metabolism in circulation, but it cannot affect blood glucose, blood pressure, and BMI. These indicators are closely associated with metabolic syndrome. This study may contribute to the development and utilization of sea buckthorn, and may provide a new and safer way for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. The limitation of this study is high heterogeneity, even if subgroup analysis is used. However, more clinical studies are needed to determine the real effect of sea buckthorn on metabolic syndrome.

A Diet Supplemented with Polyphenols, Prebiotics and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Modulates the Intestinal Microbiota and Improves the Profile of Metabolites Linked with Anxiety in Dogs

Simple Summary

This study used a nutrition-based approach to examine the effects of foods supplemented with fish oil and a polyphenol blend (citrus pulp, carrot, and spinach) with or without added tomato pomace on anxiety-related biomarkers in dogs. First, all dogs consumed the same initial food, then either the control or test (with tomato pomace) foods, then the washout food, then switched over to the test or control foods, each for 30-day periods. Many more changes in plasma and fecal metabolites were observed when comparing the washout food with the control or test foods than when the control and test foods were compared. Plasma levels of several metabolites that were previously associated with anxiety disorders, including 4-ethylphenyl sulfate, were decreased with the control or test foods compared with the washout food. In addition, bacterial genera that are decreased in the feces of those with anxiety-like disorders were increased following the consumption of the control or test foods. Overall, these data indicate that foods supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and selected fiber and polyphenol sources lead to beneficial changes in anxiety-related metabolites and gut bacteria.

Abstract

A nutrition-based approach was utilized to examine the effects of fish oil and a polyphenol blend (with or without tomato pomace) on the fecal microbiota and plasma/fecal metabolomes. Forty dogs, aged 5–14 years, were fed a washout food, then randomized to consume a control (fish oil and polyphenol blend without tomato pomace) or test (fish oil and polyphenol blend with tomato pomace) food, then the washout food, and crossed over to consume the test or control food; each for 30 days. Several metabolites differed when comparing consumption of the washout with either the control or test foods, but few changed significantly between the test and control foods. Plasma levels of 4-ethylphenyl sulfate (4-EPS), a metabolite associated with anxiety disorders, demonstrated the largest decrease between the washout food and the control/test foods. Plasma 4-EPS levels were also significantly lower after dogs ate the test food compared with the control food. Other plasma metabolites linked with anxiety disorders were decreased following consumption of the control/test foods. Significant increases in Blautia, Parabacteroides, and Odoribacter in the fecal microbiota correlated with decreases in 4-EPS when dogs ate the control/test foods. These data indicate that foods supplemented with polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids can modulate the gut microbiota to improve the profile of anxiety-linked metabolites.

The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in Solanum lycopersicum production in the agricultural system: a review

Food safety is a significant challenge worldwide, from plantation to cultivation, especially for perishable products such as tomatoes. New eco-friendly strategies are needed, and beneficial microorganisms might be a sustainable solution. This study demonstrates bacteria activity in the tomato plant rhizosphere. Further, it investigates the rhizobacteria's structure, function, and diversity in soil. Rhizobacteria that promote the growth and development of tomato plants are referred to as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR). They form a series of associations with plants and other organisms in the soil through a mutualistic relationship where both parties benefit from living together. It implies the antagonistic activities of the rhizobacteria to deter pathogens from invading tomato plants through their roots. Some PGPR are regarded as biological control agents that hinder the development of spoilage organisms and can act as an alternative for agricultural chemicals that may be detrimental to the health of humans, animals, and some of the beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere soil. These bacteria also help tomato plants acquire essential nutrients like potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), and nitrogen (N). Some rhizobacteria may offer a solution to low tomato production and help tackle food insecurity and farming problems. In this review, an overview of soil-inhabiting rhizobacteria focused on improving the sustainable production of Solanum lycopersicum.

Edible coating as postharvest management strategy for shelf-life extension of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.): An overview

Tomato is considered as one of the most grown horticultural crops having a short shelf-life due to its climacteric nature of ripening, susceptibility to postharvest microbial decay, and mechanical damage, resulting in huge postharvest losses. Recently, the use of edible coatings has been seen as a promising environment friendly and sustainable technology for preserving the quality attributes and prolonging the shelf-life of tomato during storage. Although a lot of literature is available on the aspects of edible coating for fresh produce, especially stone and tropical fruits, but there is no dedicated comprehensive review that specifically addresses the requirements of edible coatings for whole fresh tomato. This review aims to provide the information about the desirable coating property requirements specific to tomato and summarizes or analyzes the recent studies conducted on the application of edible coating on tomato. The article also deals with recent trends on utilization of bioactive compounds as well as nanotechnological approaches for improving the performance and functionality of coating materials used for tomato. However, the edible coating technology for tomato is still at infancy state, and adoption of technology on a commercial scale requires economic viability and large-scale consumer acceptability.

Cytoprotective and Antigenotoxic Properties of Organic vs. Conventional Tomato Puree: Evidence in Zebrafish Model

In this in vivo study, we investigated cytoprotective and antigenotoxic effects of commercial tomato puree obtained from conventional vs. organic farming systems (pesticides vs. pesticide-free agriculture, respectively). This is relevant as pesticides are widely used in agriculture to prevent pests, weeds, and the spread of plant pathogens. By exposing zebrafish to tomato puree alone and in combination with H2O2 (a well-known genotoxic agent), we analyzed the percentage of fish survival, cell viability, intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA fragmentation index (DFI%), and genomic template stability (GTS%). Fish exposed to organic puree showed higher fish survival and cellular viability, lower DFI% and ROS, and improved GTS%. Our results suggest a higher cytoprotective and antigenotoxic effect of organic pesticide-free tomatoes, probably because the activity of natural phytochemicals is not affected by the presence of toxic residues, which are otherwise produced by pesticides used in conventional farming systems. Our study points out the importance of considering alternative strategies in agriculture to minimize the genotoxic impact of chemical pesticides.

Functional and Nutraceutical Compounds of Tomatoes as Affected by Agronomic Practices, Postharvest Management, and Processing Methods: A Mini Review

Tomatoes and their by-products are indisputable sources of substances with antioxidants properties. Several factors limit the production and influence the nutritional and antioxidant quality of tomato fruit. However, consumers can benefit from the effects of environmental factors, such as water and hydric stress, UV radiation, agronomic practices, among others, which lead to changes in the content of secondary metabolites in tomatoes. Molecules as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and biogenic amines are often formed in response to environmental adversities. In this way, the consumption of tomato fruits or their by-products with higher levels of antioxidants may be important adjuvants in the prevention or reduction of diseases. In this mini-review, we will present how pre- and postharvest conditions may influence the content of some bioactive compounds in tomatoes. Furthermore, we will present how some heat processing methods may change the antioxidant content, as well as, the functional and nutritional properties of the final product.

Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Capacity of Bioactive Compounds From Various Typologies of Canned Tomatoes

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world; it contains high amounts of antioxidant phytochemicals and essential nutrients. Although it is commonly consumed fresh, more than 80% of its consumption derives from processed products. Since limited information on changes in the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds during gastrointestinal digestion was reported, this current study aimed to monitor the antioxidant activity, total polyphenolic and carotenoid content, and bioaccessibility during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of different typologies (n = 7) of canned tomatoes. A comprehensive evaluation of the polyphenolic profile of digested and not digested samples was ascertained by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The results highlighted a considerable content of rutin (1.191-9.516 mg/100 g), naringenin (0.359-1.452 mg/100 g), chlorogenic acid (1.857-11.236 mg/100 g), and lycopene (50.894-222.061 mg/kg) in the analyzed matrices. After in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, large variability, losses and low recovery were recorded. An appreciable percentage of rutin (30.7%), naringenin (29.6%), chlorogenic acid (25.8%), and lycopene (varied between 9.3 and 20%) remained bioaccessible after the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Our study could be a valid support to evaluate which content of bioactive compounds could be really bioaccessible to exercise beneficial effects on human health.

Residue characteristics of seven fungicides in cherry tomatoes and vegetable tomatoes

A modified QuEChERS method using a GC-ECD to determine the multiple residues of pyraclostrobin, difenoconazole, dimethomorph and azoxystrobin and to indirectly determine the total residues of maneb, mancozeb and propineb by a GC-FPD (with an S filter) was established and validated. Meanwhile, field trials were conducted in accordance with good agricultural practice (GAP) to study their characteristics of residue degradation under the agricultural climate and cropping system of Guangxi Province. The separation effect of each target peak was good with a linearity range of 0.01–5 mg L−1, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.003–0.015 mg kg−1 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01–0.05 mg kg−1. The average recovery ranges of vegetable tomatoes and cherry tomatoes were 70.5–120.0% and 70.8–119.8%, respectively, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 7.1%. Field trials of seven fungicides in vegetable and cherry tomatoes showed that the half-lives (t 1/2 ) of the dithiocarbamate fungicides (metiram, mancozeb, and propineb, defined as total residues determined as CS2), pyraclostrobin, difenoconazole, dimethomorph, and azoxystrobin were in the ranges of 5.2, 12.7–17.8, 7.6–7.9, 6.6–6.9, and 6.3–6.6 d in vegetable tomatoes, respectively. The cherry tomatoes presented ranges of 4.3–4.5, 10.8–11.8, 6.7–7.0, 5.4–5.5, and 5.9–6.2 d, respectively. Combined with the final residue and market monitoring results, the results show that cherry tomatoes have significantly higher terminal residues, initial deposits, and maximum residues of seven fungicides than vegetable tomatoes, and these seven pesticides can be detected in cherry tomatoes purchased from three markets. Therefore, cherry tomatoes may be regarded as representative varieties of tomatoes in realizing residual extrapolation for the establishment of the maximum residue limit (MRL) value of fungicides in tomatoes and for conducting market monitoring.

Valorization Potential of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Seed: Nutraceutical Quality, Food Properties, Safety Aspects, and Application as a Health-Promoting Ingredient in Foods

The tomato is a member of the Solanaceae family and is a crop that is widely cultivated around the world due to its sweet, sour, salty, juicy, and nutritious berries. The processing of tomatoes generates a significant amount of waste in the form of tomato pomace, which includes seeds and skin. Tomato seeds are reservoirs of various nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, and vitamins. These components make tomato seeds an important ingredient for application in food matrices. This review discusses the functional food properties of tomato seeds and their scope of utilization as major ingredients in the functional food industry. In addition, this review describes the development of tomato seeds as a potential nutritional and nutraceutical ingredient, along with recent updates on research conducted worldwide. This is the first review that demonstrates the nutritional profile of tomato seeds along with its diverse functional food properties and application as a functional food ingredient.

Synergistic effect of gum Arabic and carboxymethyl cellulose as biocomposite coating delays senescence in stored tomatoes by regulating antioxidants and cell wall degradation

This study tested a novel combination of hydrocolloid gum arabic (GA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to extend postharvest life of tomatoes. For this purpose, tomato fruits were coated with GA 10%, CMC 0.5% and GA 10% + CMC 0.5%, and stored for 20 days at 20 °C and 90 ± 2% RH. Application of biocomposite hydrocolloid coating reduced physiological weight loss, respiration rate, ethylene production, decay percentage and stress markers viz. malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. Biocomposite hydrocolloid coating inhibited change in bioactive compounds (phenolics, ascorbic acid, and lycopene), color, organic acids, soluble sugars and up-regulated enzymatic ROS scavenging mechanism in tomato fruit more than GA or CMC coating. Moreover, biocomposite coatings delayed senescence by reducing activity of cell wall degrading enzymes and maintaining cell wall fractions. Conclusively, the biocomposite coating based on GA and CMC was superior to their individual coating in prolonging ripening phase, delaying senescence and increasing the acceptability of tomato fruits for longer duration.

Tomatoes: An Extensive Review of the Associated Health Impacts of Tomatoes and Factors That Can Affect Their Cultivation

Simple Summary

The research outlined in this review paper discusses potential health benefits associated with a diet enriched with tomatoes and tomato products. This includes details of previous studies investigating the anticancer properties of tomatoes, protection against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes, maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome, and improved skin health, fertility, immune response, and exercise recovery. The specific parts of a tomato fruit that contribute these health benefits are also outlined. The potential disadvantages to a tomato-rich diet are detailed, especially the consumption of supplements that contain compounds found in tomatoes, such as lycopene. This review also discusses how the cultivation of tomato plants can affect the nutritional value of the fruit harvested. Different environmental growing conditions such as light intensity, growing media, and temperature are explained in terms of the impact they have on the quality of fruit, its nutrient content, and hence the potential health benefits acquired from eating the fruit.

Abstract

This review outlines the health benefits associated with the regular consumption of tomatoes and tomato products. The first section provides a detailed account of the horticultural techniques that can impact the quality of the fruit and its nutritional properties, including water availability, light intensity, temperature, and growing media. The next section provides information on the components of tomato that are likely to contribute to its health effects. The review then details some of the health benefits associated with tomato consumption, including anticancer properties, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and skin health. This review also discusses the impact tomatoes can have on the gut microbiome and associated health benefits, including reducing the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases. Other health benefits of eating tomatoes are also discussed in relation to effects on diabetes, the immune response, exercise recovery, and fertility. Finally, this review also addresses the negative effects that can occur as a result of overconsumption of tomato products and lycopene supplements.

Angioprevention of Urologic Cancers by Plant-Derived Foods

The number of cancer cases worldwide keeps growing unstoppably, despite the undeniable advances achieved by basic research and clinical practice. Urologic tumors, including some as prevalent as prostate, bladder or kidney tumors, are no exceptions to this rule. Moreover, the fact that many of these tumors are detected in early stages lengthens the duration of their treatment, with a significant increase in health care costs. In this scenario, prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the global control of these diseases. Although specialized diets are not the only way to decrease the chances to develop cancer, epidemiological evidence support the role of certain plant-derived foods in the prevention of urologic cancer. In many cases, these plants are rich in antiangiogenic phytochemicals, which could be responsible for their protective or angiopreventive properties. Angiogenesis inhibition may contribute to slow down the progression of the tumor at very different stages and, for this reason, angiopreventive strategies could be implemented at different levels of chemoprevention, depending on the targeted population. In this review, epidemiological evidence supporting the role of certain plant-derived foods in urologic cancer prevention are presented, with particular emphasis on their content in bioactive phytochemicals that could be used in the angioprevention of cancer.

Additional Blue LED during Cultivation Induces Cold Tolerance in Tomato Fruit but Only to an Optimum

Simple Summary

LED lighting is increasingly applied to increase yield and quality of greenhouse produced crops, especially tomatoes. Tomatoes cannot be stored at cold temperatures due to chilling injury that manifests as quick quality deterioration during shelf life. The aim of this study is to investigate whether additional blue LED lighting can mitigate the negative effects of cold storage for ‘Foundation’ tomatoes. We applied three treatments, 0, 12 or 24% additional blue light during cultivation, and investigated quality attributes at harvest, after cold storage and subsequent shelf-life. We observed that red harvested tomatoes cultivated with 12% additional blue light acquired cold tolerance. Interestingly, these tomatoes were slightly less red colored at harvest and showed a faster loss of red color during cold storage. The measured red color is closely related to the lycopene concentration. We hypothesize that lycopene, a known antioxidant, present in 12% additional blue cultivated tomatoes mitigates chilling injury. Other antioxidants present in tomatoes were only affected by the ripeness at harvest and were therefore not involved in the acquired cold tolerance. The cultivation of tomatoes using additional blue LED is an attractive way to produce tomatoes that can withstand long transport at cold temperatures at the expense of a slightly less red tomato at the consumer.

Abstract

Tomato is a chilling-sensitive fruit. The aim of this study is to examine the role of preharvest blue LED lighting (BL) to induce cold tolerance in ‘Foundation’ tomatoes. Blue and red supplemental LED light was applied to achieve either 0, 12 or 24% additional BL (0B, 12B and 24B). Mature green (MG) or red (R) tomatoes were harvested and cold stored at 4 °C for 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 d, and then stored for 20 d at 20 °C (shelf life). Chilling injury (CI) indices, color and firmness, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid and catalase activity were characterized. At harvest, R tomatoes cultivated at 12B were firmer and showed less coloration compared to fruit of other treatments. These fruits also showed higher loss of red color during cold storage and lower CI symptoms during shelf-life. MG tomatoes cultivated at 12B showed delayed coloring (non-chilled) and decreased weight loss (long cold stored) during shelf life compared to fruit in the other treatments. No effects of light treatments, both for MG and R tomatoes, were observed for the selected antioxidant capacity indicators. Improved cold tolerance for R tomatoes cultivated at 12B points to lycopene having higher scavenging activity at lower concentrations to mitigate chilling injury.

Non-thermal hydrodynamic cavitation processing of tomato juice for physicochemical, bioactive, and enzyme stability: Effect of process conditions, kinetics, and shelf-life extension

Fresh tomato juice was processed by hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) at 5 to 15 psi pressures for 5–30 min. A full factorial design was applied to optimize the HC treatment of tomato juice quality. Optimal conditions were recorded at 10 psi for 10 min, which showed no significant (p < 0.05) change in lycopene content to that of freshly obtained unprocessed tomato juice (control). After processing, the retention of 93% ascorbic acid and 96.6% of total phenolic compounds (TPC) was observed. Similarly, sedimentation and viscosity were mildly affected by HC processing (89.2 and 94.4% of values in the treated sample, respectively). While pH, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) of HC treated sample remained unchanged (p < 0.05). The results were also compared with the conventional thermally processed tomato juice (90 °C for 90 s). Although thermal treatment resulted in the inactivation of 92.2% of pectin methylesterase and a 5 log reduction in total plate counts, it also showed significant reductions in ascorbic acid (61.4%), TPC (72.3%), and physical properties (37.7% of SI and 83.2% viscosity). However, HC processing could achieve a maximum of 4.9% inactivation of PME and 1 log reduction at high treatment conditions, respectively (15 psi for 30 min). The shelf-life study showed more retention of bioactives and better physicochemical properties in tomato juice samples stored at 4 °C for 15 days than the control. Sensory evaluation revealed that the overall acceptability of the optimized HC treated (0.714) sample was better than the thermally treated sample (0.591). The observed results concluded that HC-treated tomato juice was comparatively better than thermally-treated tomato juice in retaining bioactive compounds. Consequently, HC constitutes a promising approach in food processing to improve and retain the beneficial properties of tomato juice.

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Hydrodynamic cavitation is a sustainable alternative to obtain health-promoting foods.

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The optimum HC conditions were 10 psi for 10 min for tomato processing.

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Stability of lycopene was observed in HC treated juice.

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HC processed tomato juice showed excellent stability compared to untreated juice.

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HC treated tomato juice had shelf-life up to 15 days at 4 °C with good sensory and quality attributes.

Biological control of fungal pathogens of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) by chitinolytic bacterial strains

The need to increase food production and to reduce the pollution caused by synthetic chemicals has led to a search for biocontrol agents against plant pathogens. In the present study, a total of 37 chitinolytic bacteria were isolated from the rhizospheric soil of tomatoes using a chitin agar medium. In vitro bacterial isolates, that is, TD9, TD11, TD15, and TD24 showed strong antagonistic and enzymatic activities against Rhizoctonia (8%-55%), Fusarium (31%-48%), Colletotrichum (24%-49%), and Aspergillus on a dual culture plate and enzyme assay. Furthermore, these putative antagonistic bacterial isolates were identified as Pantoea agglomerans (TD9), Bacillus subtilis (TD11), Bacillus cereus (TD15 and TD24) using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Additionally, in culture filtrate in vivo assay, the isolates TD11 and TD15 inhibited the growth of Rhizoctonia solani about 40% and Fusarium oxysporum about 80%. However, in the pot trials, these two bacterial isolates (TD11 and TD15) considerably suppressed the disease rate in tomatoes caused by Fusarium and Rhizoctonia fungal species. Moreover, it was concluded that B. subtilis (TD11) was found to be the most promising putative biocontrol agent, inhibiting the fungal diseases of tomatoes by 50% and showing versatile antagonistic potential.

The steroidal alkaloids α-tomatine and tomatidine: Panorama of their mode of action and pharmacological properties

The steroidal glycoalkaloid α-tomatine (αTM) and its aglycone tomatidine (TD) are abundant in the skin of unripe green tomato and present in tomato leaves and flowers. They mainly serve as defensive agents to protect the plant against infections by insects, bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. In addition, the two products display a range of pharmacological properties potentially useful to treat various human diseases. We have analyzed all known pharmacological activities of αTM and TD, and the corresponding molecular targets and pathways impacted by these two steroidal alkaloids. In experimental models, αTM displays anticancer effects, particularly strong against androgen-independent prostate cancer, as well as robust antifungal effects. αTM is a potent cholesterol binder, useful as a vaccine adjuvant to improve delivery of protein antigens or therapeutic oligonucleotides. TD is a much less cytotoxic compound, able to restrict the spread of certain viruses (such as dengue, chikungunya and porcine epidemic diarrhea viruses) and to provide cardio and neuro-protective effects toward human cells. Both αTM and TD exhibit marked anti-inflammatory activities. They proceed through multiple signaling pathways and protein targets, including the sterol C24 methyltransferase Erg6 and vitamin D receptor, both directly targeted by TD. αTM is a powerful regulator of the NFkB/ERK signaling pathway implicated in various diseases. Collectively, the analysis shed light on the multitargeted action of αTM/TD and their usefulness as chemo-preventive or chemotherapeutic agents. A novel medicinal application for αTM is proposed.

Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Natural Drugs

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common urinary diseases affecting men, generally after the age of 50. The prevalence of this multifactorial disease increases with age. With aging, the plasma level of testosterone decreases, as well as the testosterone/estrogen ratio, resulting in increased estrogen activity, which may facilitate the hyperplasia of the prostate cells. Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the activity of the enzyme 5α-reductase, which converts testosterone to DHT. In older men, the activity of this enzyme increases, leading to a decreased testosterone/DHT ratio. DHT may promote prostate cell growth, resulting in hyperplasia. Some medicinal plants and their compounds act by modulating this enzyme, and have the above-mentioned targets. This review focuses on herbal drugs that are most widely used in the treatment of BPH, including pumpkin seed, willow herb, tomato, maritime pine bark, Pygeum africanum bark, rye pollen, saw palmetto fruit, and nettle root, highlighting the latest results of preclinical and clinical studies, as well as safety issues. In addition, the pharmaceutical care and other therapeutic options of BPH, including pharmacotherapy and surgical options, are discussed, summarizing and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each therapy.

Physico-Chemical, Nutritional, and Sensory Evaluation of Two New Commercial Tomato Hybrids and Their Parental Lines

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the globally most consumed vegetable. The objective of this research was to analyze physico-chemical, nutritional and sensorial components (taste and flavor) in two new commercial hybrids (AS 300 F1 and AS 400 F1) and their four F7 parental lines. Two widely grown F1 hybrids (Precos F1 and Addalyn F1) were used as controls. The results obtained for carbohydrates (HPLC-RID) indicated that the highest values (27.82 mg/g) were recorded in the paternal line AS 10 of the new hybrid AS 400 F1. The highest values of total organic acids (HPLC-VWD) were recorded in Addalyn F1 (5.06 m/g), while the highest value of phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI⁺) were identified in the maternal line AS 09 of the hybrid AS 400 F1 (96.3 µg/g). Intrinsic sensory values were analyzed by male and female tasters of different ages using a hedonic scale. The tasters' perception revealed obvious taste differences between tomato genotypes. The study allowed determining genetic parameters of interest (heterosis and heterobeltosis) for the new hybrids, as well as a detailed characterization of the chemical composition and organoleptic quality of the parental breeding lines and their hybrids, which is useful in tomato breeding.

Natural Antioxidants from Plant Extracts in Skincare Cosmetics: Recent Applications, Challenges and Perspectives

In recent years, interest in the health effects of natural antioxidants has increased due to their safety and applicability in cosmetic formulation. Nevertheless, efficacy of natural antioxidants in vivo is less documented than their prooxidant properties in vivo. Plant extracts rich in vitamins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds can induce oxidative damage by reacting with various biomolecules while also providing antioxidant properties. Because the biological activities of natural antioxidants differ, their effectiveness for slowing the aging process remains unclear. This review article focuses on the use of natural antioxidants in skincare and the possible mechanisms underlying their desired effect, along with recent applications in skincare formulation and their limitations.

Sensory Traits and Consumer's Perceived Quality of Traditional and Modern Fresh Market Tomato Varieties: A Study in Three European Countries

Consumer dissatisfaction with the flavor quality of many modern fresh market tomato varieties has fostered breeders’ interest in sensory quality improvement, and the demand for traditional varieties, which are generally associated with better flavor. To achieve further knowledge on the factors influencing the sensory quality and consumers’ preferences and perception, European traditional and modern fresh market tomato varieties were grown and evaluated in France, Italy, and Spain. Different growing conditions were tested in France (soilless vs. soil) and in Spain (open field vs. greenhouse), while in Italy fruits were evaluated at two ripening stages. Fruit quality was assessed by integrating physicochemical analyses, sensory profiles, and consumer tests. In all three countries, overall modern varieties were perceived as having more intense “tomato flavor” and “overall flavor” than traditional ones. In France and Spain, consumers’ preferences were more oriented towards modern varieties than traditional ones. Significant growing condition effects were found on sensory and physicochemical traits, while the effect on consumers’ overall liking was not significant, largely depending on the genotype. A fair agreement between product configurations from descriptive analysis by trained assessors and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questions by consumers was observed. Penalty-lift analysis based on CATA allowed identifying positive and negative drivers of liking.

Effects of Breaking Methods on the Viscosity, Rheological Properties and Nutritional Value of Tomato Paste

Ultrasound-assisted processing has potential application advantages as an emerging technology for preparing tomato paste. This work explored the influence of ultrasound break at 22 °C (US-Break-22) and 65 °C (US-Break-65) on the viscosity, rheological properties and nutritional values of newly prepared tomato paste, compared with traditional thermal break at 65 °C (Break-65) and 90 °C (Break-90). Results showed that the US-Break-65 paste had the largest apparent viscosity, yield stress, consistency coefficient, solid-like nature, and large amplitude oscillatory shear behavior, followed by the US-Break-22 paste, Break-90 paste, and Break-65 paste. Based on the results of the pectin-related enzymes, particle size, and serum pectin of the pastes, it was revealed that the above-mentioned properties were mainly determined by the particle size and pectin content in their serum. The level of ascorbic acid followed the order of US-Break-22 paste > US-Break-65 paste > Break-65 paste > Break-90 paste. The level of total carotenoids followed the order of US-Break-22 paste ≈ US-Break-65 paste > Break-90 paste ≈ Break-65 paste. The level of total cis-carotenoids followed the order of US-Break-65 paste > US-Break-22 paste > Break-90 paste > Break-65 paste. The level of phenolics and antioxidant activities followed the same order of US-Break-22 paste > US-Break-65 paste > Break-90 paste > Break-65 paste. Overall, the viscosity, rheological properties and nutritional values of the tomato pastes prepared by US-Break-65 and US-Break-22 were significantly higher than those prepared by Break-65 and Break-90. Therefore, ultrasound assisted processing can prepare high quality tomato paste and can be widely implemented in the tomato paste processing industry.