Received for review August 11, 2004. Revised manuscript received September 14, 2004. Accepted November 3, 2004.

Abstract:

The aim of this research was to evaluate the suitability of uracil as an hygienic quality index of tomato products. Whereas uridine was naturally present throughout tomato fruits' ripening, uracil appeared only after microbial contamination. In tomato pulp inoculated with nine different microbial strains, all five lactic acid bacteria (LAB) studied released relevant quantities of uracil (150-1040 mg/kg of dm), with a correlated partial or total decrease of uridine. Uracil production by yeasts and molds was very low or nonexistent; the starting uridine concentration (~960 mg/kg of dm) remained constant or increased. Uracil thermostability was also verified. Twenty-six samples of tomato paste (30 Brix) were collected from bag-in-drums produced in an industrial processing plant, some with evident swelling symptoms. All of the samples with high microbial count presented uracil. Uracil was also present in samples with microbial contamination under the detection limit and Howard mold count below legislation limits, implying the reprocessing, at least partial, of altered tomato product. The results indicate that uracil presence in tomato products is an index of LAB contamination that has occurred before heat treatment.

Keywords: Lactic acid bacteria; microbial contamination; molds; tomato; tomato products; uracil; uridine; yeasts

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