Variations in Non-enzymatic Antioxidants in Hisar Arun (Local) and Kashi Vishesh (Hybrid) Cultivars of Tomato Fruits Treated with H2O2 during storage periods

Abstract

Alterations in non-enzymatic antioxidants of tomato fruits of two cultivars (Kashi Vishesh: a local & Hisar Arun: a hybrid) during their storage were studied. Tomatoes, harvested at mature green, breaker, and mature red stages were treated with 1% and 4% solution of H2O2 and then kept at storage temperatures 5°C,10°C, and 15°C. Antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, Lycopene and total phenol content were measured after every 7-day interval up to a total storage duration of 21 days. The recorded non-enzymatic characteristics shown an increase upto 14 days and then started declining irrespective of storage temperature and concentration of H2O2 treatment and maximum change was seen at15°C and 1% H2O2. On the other hand, lycopene content increased asymptotically at all maturity stages and at all storage temperatures which is suggestive of slowing ripening process. In conclusion, local cultivar, harvested at mature green stage, showed slowest increase rate in antioxidants activities when treated with 1% H2O2 and stored at 5°C.