2019 Volume 57 Issue 4 Pages 99-106
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivated under salt-stress conditions offer enhanced contents of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids, and have a favorable taste. In this study, 3 tomato cultivars and the components of sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), organic acids (citric acid and malic acid), and 17 amino acids of fruits cultivated under salt-stress (100 mM NaCl) conditions were investigated using HPLC systems. Taste was evaluated using a taste sensor and sensory evaluation. The taste sensor measured sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and astringency. In the sensory evaluation, the 5 basic tastes (sweetness, sourness, saltiness, umami, and bitterness), aroma, and texture were evaluated. Salt-stressed tomatoes undergo characteristic component changes due to the salt-stress, resulting in enhanced contents of glucose, fructose, citric acid, and several amino acids. The tendency toward increased saltiness in salt-stressed tomatoes was found by both the sensory evaluation and the taste sensor. Sourness was evaluated more sensitively and accurately by the taste sensor. To evaluate the objective tastes of a tomato, it is important not only to incorporate sensory evaluation but also to measure metabolic components using HPLC systems and to evaluate tastes using a taste sensor.
