LIGHTLY PROCESSED FOODS: RIPENING OF TOMATO FRUIT SLICES

Longitudinal 7 mm thick slices of mature green tomato fruits ripened normally when stored in air at 20 C. They showed taste equal to ripened whole fruits; no off-flavors were detected. Titrable acidity of ripened slices as well as soluble solids were higher than in red tomato fruit ripened on the vine. Use of low water vapor trasmission rate plastic film or PE film breaker tomato fruits slices allow for keeping good quality of slices along for 5 days.