Effect of drying treatments on the global metabolome and health-related compounds in tomatoes. (1st March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bakir, Sena; Hall, Robert D.; de Vos, Ric C.H.; Mumm, Roland; Kadakal, Çetin; Capanoglu, Esra
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 403(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03-01
• Subjects: Dried tomatoes -- Metabolomics -- In vitro bioaccessibility -- Vitamins -- Bioactive compounds; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134123
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: Untargeted metabolomics provides new insights into effects of tomato drying procedures. A clear distinction was observed between oven-dried and sun-dried tomatoes. Health-related phytochemicals are differentially affected by drying procedures. Semi-drying of fruits generally exerted the least impact on the fruit metabolite profile. Semi-drying results in the highest recovery of total antioxidant activity after GI digestion. Abstract: Drying fruits and vegetables is a long-established preservation method, and for tomatoes, in most cases sun-drying is preferred. Semi-drying is relatively a new application aimed to preserve better the original tomato properties. We have assessed the effects of different drying methods on the phytochemical variation in tomato products using untargeted metabolomics and targeted analyses of key compounds. An LC-MS approach enabled the relative quantification of 890 mostly semi-polar secondary metabolites and GC–MS analysis in the relative quantification of 270 polar, mostly primary metabolites. Metabolite profiles of sun-dried and oven-dried samples were clearly distinct and temperature-dependent. Both treatments caused drastic changes in lycopene and vitamins with losses up to > 99% compared to freeze-dried controls. Semi-drying had less impact on these compounds. In vitro bioaccessibility analyses of total phenolic compounds and antioxidants in a gastrointestinal digestion protocol revealed the highest recovery rates in semi-dried fruits. Semi-drying is a better way of preserving tomato phytochemicals, based on both composition and bioaccessibility results.