The phytochemicals, antioxidant activities and nutritive qualities of some selected tomato pastes sold in Umuahia Metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria

Tomato paste contains antioxidant compounds which act against free radical actions in the body and prevents oxidative damage and  boost the physiological health of consumers. However, information on the phytochemicals, antioxidant activities and nutritive qualities of  tomato pastes sold in Umuahia Metropolis is scarce. This work was undertaken to fill this gap on five selected commercial tomato pastes  sold in Umuahia Metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria namely, Sonia (SON), Gento (GEN), Superdelicieux (SUP), Star (STA) and Clappa (CLA). The  physicochemical and antioxidant activity parameters were determined by standard methods. The results showed that lycopene (4.20 mg  100g‒1 ), vitamin C (12.76 mg 100g‒1 ) and vitamin A (1.43 mg 100g‒1 ) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in STA tomato paste.  β-carotene (3.02 mg 100g‒1 ) and vitamin E (11.14 mg 100g‒1 ) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in CLA tomato paste, while phenol was  significantly (p < 0.05) higher in SUP tomato paste. The chemical composition revealed that total solid ranged from 28.91 (STA) to 31.67%  (SON), reducing sugar ranged from 8.78 (SUP) to 16.16% (CLA), while titratable acidity ranged from 0.21 (SON) to 0.31% (GEN) and pH  ranged from 4.27 (CLA) to 4.47 (STA), respectively. Minerals concentration for Ca ranged from 1.79 (CLA) to 2.86 mg 100g‒1 (SON), Mg  from 8.57 (SON) to 13.61 mg 100g‒1 (STA), K from 7.81 (SON) to 30.44 mg 100g‒1 (STA), Na from 12.21 (STA) to 15.59 mg 100g‒1 (CLA)  and Fe from 0.82 (STA) to 1.89 mg 100g‒1 (SON). Stronger antioxidant activity was observed in SON paste for 1,1- diphenyl-2-picryl  (DPPH) (62.07%), 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) (41%) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP)  (47.88%). The results revealed that concentration of nutritive quality was specific to individual tomato paste, but SON possessed stronger  antioxidant activity scavenging power than other tomato pastes. From the results of physicochemical and antioxidant activity of these  tomato pastes, they may be used to boost physiological performance against degenerative diseases.