Abstract:
The tomato industry has been searching for new genotypes with improved fruit production,
both in the field and industrially processed, together with high-quality performance under sustainable
management conditions. This research was carried out in Southern Italy with the aim of assessing
the effects of industrial processing on the yield and quality of four tomato hybrids grown according
to organic farming methods and addressed at dicing. MAX 14111 and HMX 4228 showed the highest
values of field and processing yield as well as reduced sugars and fructose. MAX 14111 had the
highest values of total solids and soluble solids, titratable acidity, fiber, energetic value, polyphenols,
and also rutin, though not significantly different from Impact. HMX 4228 performed best in terms
of sugar ratio, color and naringenin. Concerning the diced products, the sensorial qualities of the
four hybrids differed significantly. Total polyphenols, naringenin and rutin in the tomato fruits were
higher in the processed than in the raw product. The appreciable fruit yield and quality resulting
from both field and processing phase represent a promising perspective for identifying improved
tomato genotypes addressed at dicing.
