Premium
Tomatoes expressing thaumatin II retain their sweet taste after salting and pickling processing
Author(s) -
Firsov Aleksey,
Shaloiko Lyubov,
Kozlov Oleg,
Vainstein Alexander,
Dolgov Sergey
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.11168
Subject(s) - thaumatin , pickling , food science , salting , taste , chemistry , artificial sweetener , aftertaste , umami , sensory analysis , biochemistry , gene , sugar
BACKGROUND Thaumatin II, a supersweet protein from the African plant katemfe ( Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth.), shows promise as a zero‐calorie sweetener for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries and for improving the taste of fruit. RESULTS We report on the stability of thaumatin in salted and pickled tomatoes, as well as on the effect of thaumatin on the taste quality of processed tomatoes. Fruit of tomato cv. Yalf, transformed with the thaumatin II gene were salted and pickled and then stored for 6 months. Western blot analysis showed relative thaumatin II stability at salting; its content in processed fruits was 62–83% of the initial level depending in the studied line. In pickled tomatoes, thaumatin II content was decreased by up to 25% of the initial amount. Both salted and pickled tomatoes had a sweet taste with a typical thaumatin aftertaste. Salted tomatoes were characterized as being sweeter than pickled tomatoes. The overall taste of pickled tomatoes was rated by panellists as significantly better compared to that of salted or non‐processed ones. CONCLUSION In the present study, we have shown that tomatoes expressing supersweet protein thaumatin II can be used for processing under mild conditions, including salting and pickling. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.