Scientists at Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) have investigated the commercial and functional quality parameters in little-studied tomato varieties to find possible noticeable differences. For the study, five cherry tomato varieties and six common (i.e., non-cherry) tomatoes were evaluated.
"Overall the commercial quality parameter values were lower in cherry varieties - the scientists report - Cherry cereja showed the highest values of total sugars, Green Zebra showed the highest levels of phenolics, Tigerella and Byelsa showed the highest levels of lycopene, Orange showed the highest levels of phytoene".
The levels of sugars in both groups of tomatoes were comparable. Furthermore, interesting differences in plastid carotenoid-accumulating sub-structures as a function of the carotenoid profile were found. Given the importance of chromoplasts for the carotenoids in plants and their release during digestion, this information can be valuable in investigations on the regulation of the biosynthesis and the bioavailability of tomato carotenoids.
Source: Elena Coyago-Cruz, Mireia Corell, Alfonso Moriana, Paula Mapelli-Brahm, Dolores Hernanz, Carla M. Stinco, Elena Beltrán-Sinchiguano, Antonio J. Meléndez-Martínez, 'Study of commercial quality parameters, sugars, phenolics, carotenoids and plastids in different tomato varieties', 2019, Food Chemistry, Vol. 277, pag. 480-489.