Phytochemical investigation and antioxidant properties of unripe tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Unripe tomatoes are among the main waste produced during tomato cultivation and processing. In this study, unripe tomatoes from seven different Italian cultivars have been investigated to evaluate their nutraceutical potential. Phytochemical investigation allowed shedding light on the identification of seventy-five bioactive compounds. The highest amount of polyphenolic and glycoalkaloids along with the high level of antioxidant activities was found in the Datterini tomatoes variety. The peculiarity of this variety is the high chlorogenic acid content, being ten times higher compared to the other cultivars examined. Moreover, the total α-tomatine amount has been found substantially higher (34.699 ± 1.101 mg/g dry weight) with respect to the other tomato varieties analyzed. Furthermore, the cultivars metabolomic profiles were investigated with the PCA approach. Based on Datterini cultivar's metabolomic profile, its waste-recovery could represent a good option for further added value products in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical areas with a high α-tomatine content.

Keywords: Acetoxytomatine (PubChem CID: 131751568); Antioxidant activity; Caffeic acid (PubChem CID: 689043); Catechin (PubChem CID: 9064); Chemical characterization; Chlorogenic acid (PubChem CID: 1794427); Dehydrotomatine (PubChem CID: 101920881); Epicatechin (PubChem CID: 72276); Gallic acid (PubChem CID: 370); Glycoalkaloids; Naringenin (PubChem CID: 932); Neochlorogenic acid (PubChem CID: 5280633); Polyphenols; Procyanidin B1 (PubChem CID: 11250133); Procyanidin B2 (PubChem CID: 122738); Procyanidin B3 (PubChem CID: 146798); Procyanidin C1 (PubChem CID: 169853); Quercetin (PubChem CID: 5280343); Quercetin 3-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 5280804); Rutin (PubChem CID: 5280805); Syringic acid (PubChem CID: 10,742); Tomatine (PubChem CID: 5513); Unripe tomatoes; Vanillic acid (PubChem CID: 5513); p-Coumaric acid (PubChem CID: 637542).