Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXII
Written by Roxana-Mădălina STOICA, Caterina TOMULESCU, Angela CĂȘĂRICĂ, Mariana-Grațiela SOARE (VLADU)

Antioxidants are substances that are able to prevent or inhibit oxidation processes in human body as well as in food products. The entire tissue of fruits and vegetables are rich in bioactive compounds and in most cases the waste byproducts can present similar or even higher contents of antioxidant compounds. The tomato processing industry generates large quantities of tomato peel residues, usually creating environmental problems. The tomato by-products mainly constituted by tomato skins and seeds represent one of the richest sources of lycopene, a carotenoid with a noncyclic, not branched structure which has demonstrated antioxidant properties and an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases. Tomatoes skin can, in fact, contain up to 5 times more lycopene than the pulp. So, although these by-products of tomato industry represent a major disposal problem for the food industry, they are also a promising source of compounds which may be used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries because of their antioxidant or nutritional properties.

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