Biometric, Physical-Chemical And Microbiological Quality Indicators Of Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) Sold In Fairs And Supermarkets After Different Sanitization Treatments

As a perishable food, tomatoes have high humidity and nutritional conditions that favor the development of microorganisms and can put the health of those who eat them at risk. Thus, when tomatoes are consumed fresh, without being sanitized, they propagate pathogenic microorganisms, putting the consumer's health at risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical parameters and the incidence of microorganisms in salad tomatoes sold in street markets and supermarkets in the city of Paraíso do Tocantins after different sanitization treatments. A total of 100 tomato samples were purchased from supermarkets (MB, XP and TQ) in the West Zone (ZO) and the free market (CF) in the city of Paraíso do Tocantins. The fruit was transported to the Food Analysis and Fruit and Vegetable Processing Laboratories at the Federal Institute of Tocantins IFTO Paraíso do Tocantins campus, for biometric assessment (fruit mass, transverse and longitudinal diameters), treatment without sanitization, treatment with running water and treatment with 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes, physicochemical evaluations (pH, total titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C and humidity) and microbiological quality (total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and evaluation of the presence of Salmonella sp.). The biometric analysis showed a mass of 178.20 grams, a transverse diameter of 72.46 millimeters and a longitudinal diameter of 57.82 millimeters. The physical-chemical evaluation showed average values for pH of 4.34, titratable acidity of 0.24%, soluble solids of 5.81 brix, humidity of 94.94% and vitamin C of 11.27 mg. There were total coliform counts of 1058 NMP/g, thermotolerant coliforms of 150.5 NMP/g, Escherichia coli of 13.15 NMP/g and no Salmonella sp. Treatment with 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes reduced the amount of total coliforms by 97.91%, thermotolerant coliforms by 93.01% and Escherichia coli by 71%. The tomatoes sold in the city of Paraíso presented fruit within the physical-chemical and microbiological quality standards established by the legislation, so the tomatoes can be consumed without risk to the health of the consumer regardless of the establishment of purchase