Lycopene content and antioxidant activity of fresh and processed tomatoes and in vitro bioavailability of lycopene

BACKGROUND: Lycopene, a phytochemical, has attracted a great deal of interest over the past few years. This has triggered research on the biological properties of lycopene and on the numerous factors that control these properties. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate lycopene content and antioxidant activity of fresh, sun-dried and canned tomatoes. In addition, in vitro bioavailability of lycopene was determined. RESULTS: Lycopene contents of fresh, sun-dried and canned tomatoes were found to be 1.74, 5.51 and 3.55 mg 100 g(-1), respectively, on a fresh wet basis. The highest lycopene bioavailability was obtained for sun-dried tomatoes (58.05%) and this was followed by fresh (28.67%) and canned tomatoes (21.83%). Fresh tomatoes showed the highest antioxidant activity against ABTS radical oxidation. This was followed by sun-dried tomatoes and canned tomatoes. The inhibition effect of intestinal dialysates of the samples on ABTS radical oxidation was between 51.34% and 92.96%. CONCLUSION: Maintenance antioxidant activity and existence of lycopene following an in vitro digestion process were the main findings, which might contribute forthcoming studies in this scientific field. (C) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.