Assessment of the effect of heat on the quantity of ascorbic acid in tomatoes during food processing
Abstract
Quantitative assessment of vitamin C in fresh and boiled tomato juice extracts was carried out to assess the effect of temperature on ascorbic acid using iodate titration method during food processing.
The difference in ascorbic acid content for boiled and fresh tomatoes was 50.94% and 57.94% whereas the difference in ascorbic acid content for boiled tomato juice extracts and fresh tomatoes tomato juice extract was 50.94% and 35.50%.%. These results suggested a 50% loss in ascorbic acid content of the fruits during processing.
Boiled tomatoes juice extracts had ascorbic acid concentrations of 46.41, 31.15, 26.14, 21.65, 19.78, and 39.28, 26.98, 24.12, 20.03, 19.27 in mg/100g.
Boiled tomato juice extract from fresh fruits had ascorbic acid concentration of 30.31, 30.28, 28.84, 26.27, 24.72, 19.55, and 39.28, 26.98, 24.12, 22.17, 20.03, 19.27 in mg/100g
These show that ascorbic acid content decreases with increase in processing temperatures of tomato fruits.
From this study it was inferred that heat treatment greatly contributes to losses in ascorbic acid concentration in tomato fruits during food processing.