Physico-Chemical, Sensory And Microbiological Properties Of Different Tomato Products After Processing:- Oji. Nwakaego S

ABSTRACT

Physico-chemical, sensory and microbiological properties of different tomato products were investigated. The fresh tomato fruit was processed into paste and powder respectively. Tomato powder was produced with the following different treatments given: steam blznching and sulphite dip (in Sodium metabisulphite), steam blanching without sulphite dip, sulphite dip without steamblanching and drying without steam blanching and sulphite dip respectively. They were thereafter dried in the hot -air oven at 70° for 4 hours. The tomato paste and tomato powder were analysed for vitamin C content, titrable acidity, total soluble solid content, phenol content, proximate composition and microbial load.. Heat processing and sulphite dip, had an effect on the physico-chemical properties of the different tomato products after processing. The vitamin C content in tomato powder ranged from 12.47mg/100g to 25.64mg/l00g and 28.41mg/100g in tomato paste which was a great reduction from 31.60mg/100g in fresh fruits. This implied that vitamin C was deteriorated during heat processing. Also, the fresh tomato fruit had a high concentration of total soluble solid than the other tomato products. The steam blanched tomato powder treated with Sodium metabisulphite, contained more dry matter than the fresh tomato fruit and the other tomato products