Color of dehydrated tomato: Effects of gum arabic

Abstract

The efficacy of gum arabic, as a color preservative and inhibitor of non-enzymatic browning of dehydrated tomato during storage, was studied and compared with sodium metabisulfite. Tomato homogenates were treated with 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10.0% gum arabic and 1.0% sodium metabisulfite, respectively, dehydrated, and color changes were monitored during four months of storage. Water activity decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) and Brix values increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in gum arabic-treated samples. pH of metabisulfite treated samples is significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than that of control and gum arabic treated samples. Lightness (L*) value increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with the addition of 5-10% gum arabic compared to the dehydrated control. Browning index of dehydrated tomato decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with the treatments, 1 and 2.5% Gum Arabic, 1% metabisulfite, 5, 10, and 7.5% gum arabic, respectively. Gum arabic at 5-10% (w/w) was more suppressed to browning than sodium metabisulfite. Gum arabic preserved color of dehydrated tomatoes up to 4 months of storage. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.