Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Four Tomato Varieties (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) Cultivated in Cote d'Ivoire

Aims: This study is to ascertain nutrient content and antioxidant compounds of four varieties of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (UC82b, Amiral F1, Local cotelette and Local cerise) grown in Cote d’Ivoire.

Study Design: This study is to assess the nutritional and antioxidant value of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) grown in Cote d’Ivoire in order to know if they can help to prevent against oxidative stress.

Place and duration of Study: Four ripe tomato varieties were collected from different tomato fields in Yamoussoukro district (Cote d'Ivoire) during season from December 2016 to January 2017. The determination of nutrient content and antioxidant compounds were ascertained at the LAPISEN of INPHB (Yamoussoukro).

Methodology: Macronutrient and micronutrient of the four tomato varieties collected were determinate. Then, lycopene, polyphenol and flavonoid contents were assessed. The antioxidant capacity of tomato extracts was evaluated using DPPH method.

Results: Among the varieties studied, Amiral F1 has the highest antioxidant capacity with an EC50 of 3.47 mg/mL and the highest total polyphenol content (17.5 mg/100 g EAG of fw). Local cotelette variety is the richest in lycopene (2.9 mg/100 g of fw) and vitamin C (35.4 mg/100 g of fw). In addition, this variety also has the highest levels of calcium (31 mg/100 g of fw), magnesium (21 mg/100 g of fw) and potassium (333 mg/100 g of fw). UC82b is the best source of iron (0.065 mg/100 g of fw), phosphorus (23 mg/100 g of fw), manganese (0.086 mg /100 g of fw) and zinc (0 11 mg/100 g of fw).

Conclusion: This investigation showed that the different studied varieties of tomato possessed high antioxidant capacities. As a result, they could be used to fight against oxidative stress.