Do Consumers Fully Benefit from the Richness of Dietary Contribution to Human Health offered by Tomato?

Tomatoes are one of the most popular and consumed vegetables, occupying second place after potatoes. Fresh tomato fruits contain intermediate levels of essential for human heath micronutrients as lycopene, β-carotene and lutein. The importance of these carotenoids is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases, premature aging, cancer and cataracts. The present study was designed to get an idea to what extent the consumers take advantage from the tomato fruits richness and their contribution to human health. The content of the three carotenoids ? lycopene, β- carotene and lutein in nine tomato genotypes with different fruit color: red, pink, orange and yellow were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results demonstrated a great nutritional potential, which tomato cultivars with different fruit color posses in relation to the carotenoid content. It is important to underline that limiting their consumption to red and pink tomatoes only, consumers did not fully profit from the nutritive and flavor potential offered by tomatoes.