Effect of hydrogen peroxide on quality of fresh-cut tomato

The effect of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 M) on selected nutritional quality of fresh-cut tomato was investigated. Microbial population of tomato slices stored at 10 °C and treated with H₂O₂ was lower than the control by 1-(0.2 and 0.4 M) and 5-log (0.4 M), 3 and 7 d after processing, respectively. Dipping fresh-cut tomato into H₂O₂ resulted in reduced phenolic and antioxidant levels after 7 d in storage by at least 5% and 20%, respectively, and produced an initial decline in vitamin C and lycopene. Change in color values in the H₂O₂ treatments were associated with reduced carotenoid content. Our results confirmed antimicrobial benefits of H ₂O₂ but revealed a compromise in antioxidant and carotenoid contents of fresh-cut tomatoes.