Effect of gamma radiation on the color and ph of tomatoes

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) is one of the most widely grown vegetables in Brazil. It has great economic importance in view of constant increases in demand, both in the forms of natural or industrialized product. However, the issue that most affects its culture is its short life in post-harvest, because of its susceptibility to various types of pests. Some pest-damaged fruits are even unable to be sold in the market. The control of chemical insecticides, a practice used by most farmers, promotes a reduction in the population of pests. However, there are many pests such as the tomato moth, that are more difficult to control due to their resistance to pesticides. Based on the fact that the energy use of ionizing radiation in food has shown positive results in various fields of application, such as in the control of insect infestation, delay of fruit's ripening and reduction of microbial load, the irradiation can be identified as a potential solution to this problem. Due to these factors, this work aims to study the physic-chemical characteristics of tomatoes, under the effect of different doses of gamma radiation (0.25 kGy, 0.5 kGy , 1.0 kGy and 2.0 kGy). (author)