Tomatoes, which the botanist called Lycopersicum esculentum Mill, is a plant of the Solanaceae family, which is blooming like a trumpet. Shape, color, flavor, and texture of tomatoes is very diverse. There is a round, flat round, curly, or like a light bulb. Mature fruit color varies from yellow, orange, to red, depending on the type of the dominant pigment. It was also varied, from sour to sweet.
The fruit is arranged in clusters. Whole fruit fleshy and contain lots of water.
various
Some of the basis used to distinguish varieties of tomatoes, including forms, bunches, the thickness of the meat, and water content. Based on the shape or appearance, tomatoes are classified as follows:
1. Regular tomato (Lycopersicum commune)
Form of flat round fruit, soft, irregular, and slightly grooved near the stem.
Form of flat round fruit, soft, irregular, and slightly grooved near the stem.
2. Apple tomato (Lycopersicum pyriforme)
Shape of a round, compact, a little hard to resemble an apple.
Shape of a round, compact, a little hard to resemble an apple.
3. Potato tomato (Lycopersicum grandifolium)
Fruit is round, large, compact, with smaller sizes of tomatoes apples.
Fruit is round, large, compact, with smaller sizes of tomatoes apples.
4. Curly tomato (Lycopersicum validum)
Somewhat oval-shaped fruit, hard. The leaves are lush and green curly dark.
Somewhat oval-shaped fruit, hard. The leaves are lush and green curly dark.
Freshly harvested fruits are usually separated by size and quality (grading). Determination of fruit quality based on health, rigidity, cleanliness of the size, weight, color, shape, maturity, freedom from foreign materials and disease, as well as damage by insects and mechanical injuries. Quality categories commonly used are the extra classes, class 1 and class 2.
Once sorted, the tomatoes must be cleaned and washed to remove dirt on the fruit. Manure is usually a sprinkling soil, dust, and chemicals (pharmaceuticals and fertilizer spray). Apart from giving the impression of dirty, splashing soil can also carry disease and a number of harmful microbes. Chemicals attached to the fruit, especially pesticides, if present in excessive amounts can cause toxicity.
Storage of tomatoes should be done at temperatures not too high, usually carried out at room temperature. However, it would be much better if the tomatoes are stored at lower temperatures, ie in the refrigerator. High temperatures can damage the quality of stored tomatoes. Cold storage can slow the process of maturity, reduce susceptibility to microbial attack, reduce water loss, and maintain levels of vitamin C.
utilization
Tomatoes can be used either in fresh form or in processed form. In the form of fresh, tomatoes are often used as a food supplement ingredients (vegetables), for salads, sandwiches, chili, and so on.
In the form of processed tomatoes can be made into various kinds of canned products, such as whole tomatoes, tomato slices, sauce, and puree. Also, it can be made fruit juice and concentrated to produce tomato paste.
So far, the processed tomato that has been widely recognized by society is the juice and tomato sauce. Fruit juice (fruit juice) is a liquid that does not undergo a process of fermentation, but obtained from the process of pressing the fruit is still fresh and ripe. Processing of tomatoes into juice, but can produce a more durable product, is also a practical beverage, delicious and refreshing, is also beneficial to health.
Tomato sauce is used as a food flavoring material. Making the sauce is done by evaporating some of the water to obtain a viscosity of fruit juice as desired. Into fruit juice concentrates are added various spices for tasty. So that the sauce becomes thicker, often also added starches and other thickeners.
Rich in vitamins C and A
Tomatoes, both fresh and processed form, has a nutrient composition of a fairly complete and good. Tomato fruit consists of 50-10 weight percent dry without water and 1 percent of the skin and seeds. If the tomatoes are dried, about 50 percent of the dry weight consists of reducing sugars (mainly glucose and fructose), the remaining organic acids, minerals, pigments, vitamins, and lipids.
Tomatoes can be classified as a source of vitamin C which is very good (excellent) for 100 grams of tomatoes to meet 20 percent or more of the requirement of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C to maintain healthy teeth and gums, wounds accelerates healing, prevents scurvy disease (scurvy), and avoid the occurrence of bleeding capillaries.
In addition, tomatoes are also a good source of vitamins A (good) for 100 grams of tomatoes may contribute about 10-20 percent of daily vitamin A requirement. Vitamin A is necessary for the health of the organ of vision, the immune system, growth, and reproduction. Vitamins A and C in tomatoes is also efficacious as an antioxidant.
Tomato juice contains vitamins and minerals are fairly complete. Of the 100 grams of tomato juice to be obtained 7 mg of calcium, phosphorus 15 mg, 0.9 mg iron, 230 mg sodium, and potassium 230 mg. Vitamins are contained in 100 grams of tomato juice is vitamin A (1,050 IU), vitamin B1 (0.05 mg), vitamin B2 (0.03 mg) and vitamin C (16 mg).
High content of lycopene
Tomatoes contain lycopene high. Lycopene is the pigment that causes red tomatoes. Like beta-carotene, lycopene belongs to the class of carotenoids. There have been many studies that reveal the health benefits of lycopene.
Lycopene is known to have the ability as an antioxidant and can protect the body against various diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Are crushed or cooked tomatoes are a better source of lycopene than raw tomatoes.
For example, the amount of lycopene in tomato juice can reach five times more than fresh tomatoes. The researchers suspect, cooked tomatoes or lycopene is destroyed may issue more so easily absorbed by the body.
Lycopene found in the cell walls of tomato. Therefore, with a little cooking oil can release these components. In addition, cooking tomatoes with olive oil (olive oil) allows the body to absorb lycopene better (Ahuja et al, 2003). Components of phenolic compounds is also an important potential in tomatoes, although in smaller amounts. This component provides a beneficial effect. Most recently known that tomato puree (crushed tomatoes) contain small amounts of compounds called routine. Routine compounds can be absorbed and utilized properly by the body (nutritional content of tomatoes)
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