Tomatoes are perishable commodities, therefore cannot be stored for a long time after harvest in ordinary conditions. Hence, there is the need for processing and value addition into more stable products in order to prevent losses. In this study three post-harvest treatments comprising of tomato fruits dipped in cold distilled water for five minutes (control), tomato fruits dipped in cold pressed and hexane solvent extracted Sesame seed oils at 50% (10% DMSO:Oils mixture) average ambient temperature high and low of 38.4 and 23.7°C; relative humidity approximately 60 and 33% respectively, for evaluation of physiochemical properties and nutritional composition of coated fresh tomato. Physiological loss of weight was observed with control having the lowest throughout the experimental period and sesame seed oil cold pressed had the highest mean. Total soluble solid ranged from 2.37- 6.72, titratable acidity ranged from 0.11- 0.84, ascorbic acid content ranged from 14.7- 40.54 mg/100g, lycopene content ranged from 3.43-16.3. Thus, the study has demonstrated that the shelf life of UTC tomato could be extended for more than 15 days without excessive deterioration in quality by treating the fruits with oils and by storing under ambient storage condition. Hexane extracted sesame seed oil treatment benefits storage life capacity and maintains quality characteristics as compared to the tomato fruits of cold pressed extraction and control set. Thus it may be concluded that the post-harvest chemical treatments selected for the present study have the potential to extend the shelf life of tomato fruits while relatively retaining its nutritional quality.
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Authors: Olanipekun Oladimeji Olaleye, Tobi Deborah Olasope, Anuoluwapo Kemi Oladipo, Ifedapo Solomon Ayanda, Abel Kayode Yusuf
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