Summary
This paper investigates how thermal processing affects the retention of carotenoids — principally lycopene and beta-carotene — in tomatoes and tomato-derived products. Published in LWT – Food Science and Technology, it likely employs controlled laboratory heating trials to quantify carotenoid degradation or, in some cases, enhanced bioaccessibility under different time–temperature regimes. The findings contribute to understanding how industrial and domestic cooking processes influence the nutritional quality of tomato products.
UK applicability
Whilst this study was likely conducted in Spain, the findings are broadly applicable to UK food manufacturing, retail, and dietary guidance contexts, given the widespread consumption of processed tomato products in the UK and their significance as a dietary source of lycopene.
Key measures
Carotenoid concentration (mg/kg or µg/g); lycopene retention (%); beta-carotene retention (%); processing temperature (°C) and time (min)
Outcomes reported
The study measured the retention of carotenoids, particularly lycopene and beta-carotene, in tomato products following various thermal processing conditions. It likely reported changes in carotenoid concentration as a function of temperature, duration, and processing method.
Topic tags
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