Effect of processing methods on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) pulp quality

Abstract

Quality and Viscosity of formulated tomato products is a direct function of its original pulp quality. Mechanical treatments, viz slicing or crushing of tomatoes prior to processing significantly affected the viscosity of tomato pulp. Pulp prepared from sliced tomatoes followed by microwave processing had higher viscosity, as measured in terms of precipitate weight, degree of serum separation, and pectin content. There was a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the degree of serum separation in microwave processed tomato pulp obtained from sliced tomato. Processed pulp obtained from sliced tomatoes showed 33% increase in precipitate weight as compared to crushed tomatoes. While higher ascorbic acid was retained in pulp from sliced tomatoes, the lycopene content relnained unaffected by different mechanical treatments.