Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Activity of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Products: A Comparative Study of Powder, Juice, and Ketchup
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38211/joarps.2026.07.333Keywords:
Tomato products, physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, total phenolics, storage stability, Antimicrobial activityAbstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a popular fruit having high antioxidant content mainly lycopene and vitamin C. As tomatoes spoil immediately as perishable and postharvest losses from 25% to 50%. In this study, we compared three tomato products: dehydrated powder, fresh juice, and ketchup. We dried tomato slices in a cabinet dryer at 60–62°C for 15–16 hours and then ground them. Different parameters were done moisture, protein, ash, vitamin C, pH, and sugar content (TSS) store at refrigerated temperature (5+6°C). For antioxidant activity, total phenolics, DPPH, and ABTS tests were done. The results revealed that fresh juice exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (22.50 mg/100 g), and ABTS values (42.30 µg/mL). The dehydrated powder showed the highest values (15.20 mg phenolics/100 g; 34.60 ABTS), while ketchup had the lowest values (10.80 mg phenolics/100 g; 25.60 ABTS). In contrast, the powder showed ash (4.22%) and protein (9.25%) content. The vitamin C content was much lower (7.54–8.96 mg/100 g) than that in the fresh juice (33.54 mg/100 g). Over the 60 days, TSS levels in juice showed 5.19°Brix. In conclusion, fresh tomato juice is superior in terms of antioxidant activity, whereas dehydrated tomato powder offers the advantages of an extended shelf life and higher concentrations of protein and minerals. Tomato ketchup exhibited the lowest nutritional quality among the three products tested. These findings provide practical guidance for small-scale food processors in selecting appropriate tomato processing methods based on specific nutritional and commercial objectives.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Shahzor Gul Khaskheli, Aijaz Hussain Soomro, Ali Raza Junejo
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