Storability of Sliced Dehydrated Tomato
K.O. Zaka
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria.
K. A. Arowora
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria.
S. B. Fasoyiro
Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria.
F. F. Ilesanmi *
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria.
A. O. Ajani
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria
T. M. Awoite
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria
I. O. Ikotun
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria.
O. A. Ogundare-Akanmu
Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Three different varieties of tomatoes, Alawusa (TX1), a local variety with four lobes (TX2) and another local variety with two lobes (TX3) were sliced and dried in an oven at 55ºC for a period of four hours. The dried samples were packaged in polythene bags labeled TX1, TX2 and TX3. Proximate composition, titratable acidity and pH were monitored initially and fortnightly. The results revealed that there were no significant differences among treatments (P = 0.05) in all the parameters determined during the course of storage. The following ranges were observed among treatments in the proximate composition within the storage period: crude protein, 9.65- 16.85%; crude fiber, 14.43- 19.63%; ether extract, 0.11-3.33%; ash, 7.45-10.47% and nitrogen free extract (NFE), 58.58-65.23. Protein values were found to be decreasing during the course of storage in all treatments, whereas no definite trends were observed for pH and titratable acidity.
Keywords: Tomatoes, proximate composition, polythene bags, storage