Riadh Ilahy

When Color Really Matters: Horticultural Performance and Functional Quality of High-Lycopene Tomatoes

ABSTRACT Introgression of spontaneous or induced mutations has been used to increase the levels and diversify the profile of antioxidants in many fruits including tomato. The high-pigment (hp) and old-gold (og) alleles exemplify this approach as attractive genetic resources suitable to inbred elite high-lycopene (HLY) tomato lines with improved color and nutritional attributes. Although several studies have been published on HLY tomatoes, a systematic analysis of the information on their agronomic performances, processing features, and functional quality is lacking, leaving room for the assumption of their poor competitiveness with conventional tomato cultivars and limiting their agricultural diffusion. Therefore, the aim of this study is to critically review the most important agronomic, horticultural, and functional traits of HLY tomatoes, as well as the advances in some emerging (pre)industrial applications. Field experiments performed in different countries showed that most available HLY lines are productive, vigorous, with excellent foliage cover and with morphologically acceptable fruit. Tomato yield of HLY genotypes ranged from ∼30 to ∼178 t/ha exceeding, in some trials, that of highly productive cultivars. Red-ripe fruits of most HLY lines showed commercially suitable soluble solids and titratable acidity, in addition to increased levels of lycopene (up to 440 mg/kg fw) and other bioactive phytochemicals (mainly flavonoids and vitamin C) compared to their near isogenic conventional counterparts. Innovative (pre)industrial uses of HLY tomato include the following: (1) production of HLY sauces, juices, and powders; (2) supercritical-CO2 extraction of lycopene containing oleoresins; and (3) preparation of lycopene rich micro- and nano-carriers with improved stability and specific tissue delivery. In turn, the use of these innovative high-quality ingredients in the formulation of lycopene fortified foods, cosmetic products, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals has been proposed as the basis of a novel highly profitable tomato product chain.

Biofortified Vegetables for Improved Postharvest Quality: Special Reference to High-Pigment Tomatoes

Abstract Biofortification is the development and/or selection of micronutrient/phytonutrient rich staple crops using efficient traditional breeding techniques or modern biotechnology tools. However, even if in some cases the use of transgenic approach is crucial, consumer concerns about genetically modified organisms is increasing, which shifts most of the efforts toward the use of naturally biofortified crops. The valorization of biofortified crops is of great importance since their differences with currently and ordinary grown cultivars is clearly visible in case of high-pigment and purple tomato and colored potatoes. It has been reported that the consumption of fruit and vegetables, rich in various phytochemicals, is associated with health benefits, such as lower risk of contracting chronic diseases as well as extended shelf life and marketability compared to currently grown cultivars. In this context, the existence of genetic variability in various crops particularly, tomato (high-pigment and purple tomato) and potato (colored potato), enables the development of new crop varieties with both satisfying agronomic traits and increased functional quality. The development of such crops will contribute to satisfy the demand of (1) growers for high-income nutrient-rich crops with increased shelf life, (2) processors for high-value-added processed products with increased marketability, and (3) consumers for nutrient-rich crops and processed products as well, which will increase the intake of various phytochemicals.