Acidity of tomatoes

According to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, fresh tomatoes fall into the 4.3-4.9 range when it comes to acidity. (pH is the most widely
used scientific method for ranking acidity, and it goes from 0-14, with low numbers being the most acidic
and high numbers being the least acidic.)
The acidity of fresh tomatoes can be closely associated with their degree of ripeness. The more mature
and ripe, the lower the acidity, with pH approaching the 4.9 end of the range described earlier. For this
reason, if a person is looking for ways to decrease the acidity of his or her tomatoes, I would suggest
buying only the ripest ones, and steering clear of anything less than fully ripe.
In traditions tomatoes are considered to be an alkalizing vegetable that will help lower the body's acidity
when digested and metabolized. For example, it is the ability of tomatoes to help alkalize the blood that
makes them recommended as a food that might help improve certain health problems that are understood
as problems of excessive acidity. Because a slightly alkaline whole body balance is viewed as desirable in
these traditions, tomatoes are including along with other alkalizing foods as those that are recommended
to help restore this balance.
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Tomato Acidity
Tomatoes are generally considered a high acid food item with a pH below 4.6. Unfortunately, a lot of
misinformation has been printed in the popular press about "low acid" tomatoes referring to those with a
sweet, non-tart taste. These tomatoes are often white, yellow, or pink in color but are not low in acid
content. The higher sugar masks the acidic flavor.
Researchers at USDA and at the University of Minnesota have found that most underripe to ripe, cooked
tomatoes have a pH below 4.6. Unfortunately, a few varieties may have a pH above or close to 4.6. These
include Ace, Ace 55VF, Beefmaster Hybrid, Big Early Hybrid, Big Girl, Big Set, Burpee VF Hybrid, Cal
Ace, Delicious, Fireball, Garden State, Royal Chico, and San Marzano. Some of these are grown for
commercial purposes and are not found in home gardens. However, safely canning these varieties requires
additional acid for water bath processing or a pressure canning process similar to low acid vegetables.
University of Minnesota Extension
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ1097.html

Change in fruit colour is the most obvious signal of maturity (Wills et al., 2007).The biosynthesis of
malate in fruit flesh cells occurs in the cytoplasm andmitochondrion, this is then stored in the vacuole
(Wills et al., 2007)The amount of titratable acidity is cultivar dependent, the climate, culturalpractices and
growing location play a role (Ackermann et al., 1992; Kingston, 1994). Lowertitratable acidity was
associated with fruit exposed to light and increased applications ofnitrogen fertilizer (Kingston, 1994).
Titratable acid levels are considered less reliable indetermining harvest maturity, since in some apple
varieties, the acid level at optimum harvestwill vary greatly between seasons and growing regions (Olsen
and Martin 1980; Little andHolmes 2000). Kingston (1994) recommended that the rate of change in the
titratable acidity be used rather than the absolute values, but very little change is observed in this
variable(Frick, 1995), hence limiting its value as a maturity indicator Ethylene is a naturally synthesized
plant hormone that plays a key role in initiating fruit ripening (Watkins, 2003). Ripening is the composite
of processes that occur from thelatter stages of fruit growth and development through the early stages of
senescence (Kader,1999). The environment and tree management practices have a significant influence on
theinternal and external characteristics of fruit (Wang et al., 1971; Matthee, 1988; Bramlage,1993; Frick,
1995). The degree of maturity at harvest is a prime factor with respect to fruit quality afterstorage and
ripening (Tomala, 1999; Kader, 2002; Martin, 2002).(Heinze and Borthwick 1952) reported that
harvested mature-green tomato fruits exposed to short daily periods of light from an incandescent-
filament lamp ripened to an orange-red color in contrast to the pink color observed in fruits ripened in
total darkness. The degree of maturity at harvest has a direct effect on the period for which fruit can be
stored without losing quality (Kader, 1999).
Tomatoes (Lycopersiconesculentum) play a vital role in a healthy diet. Tomatoes are extremely
beneficial to human health for they are rich in folate, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C, carotenoids,
and flavonoids (Beecher,1997). Many of the carotenoids, such as lycopene and -carotene, and flavonoids
seem to protect men from various cardiovascular diseases and different types of cancer (Oshimaet
al.,1996; Woldet al.,2004). Tomatoes are the primary source of lycopene in many peoples diets
(Slimestad& Verheul,2005). Lycopene is responsible for the red color present in the tomato (Heinz,2003;
Sabioet al.,2003). The taste of the tomato is attributed to the various organic acids and sugars present
(Slimestad& Verheul,2005).
Historically, the tomato originated from South America where it was cultivated by the Aztecs. Then, in
the 1500s, the tomato was introduced to Europe by the Spanish after invading the Aztecs. While in
Europe, it obtained the reputation of being an aphrodisiac. In Italian, the tomato was referred to as
pomaamoris, and in French, it was denoted as pomme damour, which means apple of love in both
languages. However, the tomato did not receive such success in America, Canada, and Great Britain at
first because it was considered poisonous until the nineteenth century (Heinz,2003). This is most often
attributed to the use of pewter to prepare meals in the pastit is thought that the lead in the pewter seeped
out into acidic foods, and that this phenomenon was observed exclusively in tomatoes. Though this may
be plausible, the account is not likely because the overall amount of lead in pewter (Britannica,2006),
rates of lead dissolution, and the nature of lead exposure (Britannica,2006) make this myth unlikely. More
likely, Britains and early Americans avoided the plant because the tomato plant resembles the poisonous
belladonna plant, which belongs to the nightshade family. However, the tomato finally gained widespread
popularity in the United States later in the 19
th
century and especially in the early 20
th
century
(Britannica,2006).
http://etd.ohiolink.edu/send-pdf.cgi/Yaniga%20Bradley%20S.pdf?toledo1180634446
Lycopene content of tomato fruit increases with the advancement of ripening (Hirotaetal.,1982)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60927276/Thesis-on-Physiological-Basis-of-Extending-Shelf-Life-of-tomato

Higher transpiration and temperature levels enhance water uptake, thereby increasing the
transport of Ca to the leaves via the xylem (Taylor et al. 2004).
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http://globalsciencebooks.info/JournalsSup/images/SF/EJPSB_1(1)1-21.pdf