Proximate, Mineral and Vitamin Content of Flesh, Blanched and Dried Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentu

The experiment was aimed at comparing the effect of preservation methods on fresh, blanched and dried tomatoes' proximate, vitamin and mineral composition. The samples of tomatoes were divided into three: tomatoes fresh, blanched and dried.

The thesis was carried out between the months of February 2019 and August 2019 at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Bayero University, Kano. The Proximate Composition was calculated using AOAC methods (1975), Vitamins were determined using (Pearson Chemical methods, 1970) and Minerals using (Atomic Absorption Spectro-photometer). The results of this analysis showed that the percentage of moisture (77.58±2.71) of the Blanched tomatoes is substantially higher (P=.05), but it has the least percentage of Crude Protein and Carbohydrate composition. Fresh tomatoes have a higher composition of crude fibre (17.00±1.87) and crude protein (1.78±0.13) relative to the other two samples at (P=.05), while the dried sample has a higher percentage of crude fat and carbohydrate composition (8.34±0.84) and (21.77±2.02) at (P=.05). Vitamin A and lycopene levels were found to be significantly higher (P=.05) in dried tomatoes, with a significantly higher vitamin C content (P=.05) in blanched tomatoes. The mineral analysis shows that there is no substantial difference between sodium, magnesium, calcium, copper and lead in all three samples.

Conclusion: Dried tomatoes are also a good source of vitamin A, lycopene and other nutrients, this study shows.

Please see the link :- https://www.journalafsj.com/index.php/AFSJ/article/view/30223