The effects of peeling and laboratory- or industrial-scale heating on carotenoid content and
radical scavenging activity of tomato and tomato-virgin olive oil mixtures were investigated. A
decrease in carotenoid content was detected only after long heating times. Such a decrease was lower
for the unpeeled than for the peeled tomatoes. No change, either in lycopene concentration or in the
chain-breaking activity of the lipophilic fractions, was observed when both laboratory- and
industrial-scale heating treatments were performed on peeled-tomato puree containing 5% virgin olive
oil. The aqueous fractions, including high-molecular-weight brown polymers formed as a consequence
of heating, were also characterized for color, elementary composition and antioxidant activity.
