Postharvest sensory and physiochemical attributes of processing and nonprocessing tomato cultivars

Fruits of processing and nonprocessing tomato cultivars harvested at the "breaker" stage of maturity were evaluated for changes in physical, chemical and sensory quality characteristics during storage at 20C and 30C after 7, 14 and 21 days. Percentage marketable fruits after 21 days at 20C and 30C were 61.9% and 56.6% for processing cultivars and 65.9% and 50.9% for nonprocessing cultivars. Fruits of the processing cultivars ripened earlier, remained firmer and were less prone to physical injuries than fruits of nonprocessing cultivars. Nonprocessing fruits had a higher mean fruit weight of 17.0 g fruit diameter of 1.10 mm and locule number of 1.3 compared with fruits of the processing cultivars. Nonprecessing fruit cultivars had higher sugar/acid ratios and vitamin C contents as well as lower pH and total titratable acidity than processing fruit cultivars. Accordingly, nonprocessing cultivars on the whole, but specifically Waiters, Floradel, Carnival, Calypso, Star Pak, Floradade and Early Set were most suitable as fresh-market fruits. Excellent processing quality attributes were obtained for Donore, Peto 94C, Rio Grande and Advantage. Among processing cultivars Caraibe, Cascade, Dorado and Neema 1401 gave good dual purpose fruits.