Oil, micronutrient and heavy metal contents of tomatoes

In this study, oils, micronutrients and heavy metal contents of tomato seeds and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruits from different Turkish resources were determined. The tomato seed oil contains more than 84% unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The fatty acid composition of tomato seed oil was similar to that of soybean oil. Under supercritical conditions, partial thermal degradation occurs on the double bonds of unsaturated aliphatic carbons chains in fatty acids. Linoleic acid was the major unsaturated fatty acid in tomato seed oil. The concentrations of metals (Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, Na, K, Ca and Mg) were determined in tomato samples. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.