BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF TOMATO CULTIVARS

The bioactive compounds of 16 tomato cultivars, grown in the same field for 2 years (2003 and 2004) were investigated. Lycopene (5.7-26.3 mg kg(-1)) was the predominant carotenoid, while beta-carotene (2.1-11.2 tug kg(-1)) and a small amount of lutein (0.02-0.49 mg kg(-1)) were found in all tomato cultivars. Kagome 77, the richest source of total carotenoids and L-ascorbic acid, also showed the highest antioxidant activity, beta-Carotene and lutein contents of tomatoes differed between 2 years statistically. Antioxidant activities of tomatoes were found between 48 and 118 vino( TEAC 100 g(-1). A significant correlation was only observed between L-ascorbic acid (2.2-13.8 mg 100 g(-1)) and antioxidant activity using TEAC assay.