Tomato quality: from the field to the consumer : interactions between genotype, cultivation and postharvest conditions

The preservation of product quality in the marketing chain is of great importance for the final financial result of all stakeholders and consumer satisfaction. Improve product quality management requires an understanding of the various aspects of product and requires the availability of techniques to measure quality in an easy and objective way. The aim of the study was to obtain more insight of the effect of both pre-and post-harvest factors on the quality of tomatoes as experienced by the consumer.

In this dissertation, the effect of growing conditions (especially in closed greenhouses) on post-harvest quality of different tomato varieties was discussed. It was also examined the effects of storage of fruits at low temperatures. For the measurement of volatile aroma compounds, essential for the taste, a new method was developed based on PTR-MS coupled to an “artificial mouth”. In this manner, the aroma substances profile could be measured as that released into the mouth during eating of the tomatoes. Cold storage leads to a rapid decrease of important flavor substances, and also shows the connection  with the depletion  of compounds important for the color red mainly lycopene. After warming up, not all flavors back to previous levels and less desirable substances (off-flavors) are also produced. The results provide guidance on how the cold tolerance of the varieties can be improved.