EFFECT OF DRYING PROCESSES ON THE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF TOMATO SEEDS.

In this research, one variety of tomatoe seeds (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), was used to study the effects of different drying processes, (freeze-drying (FD) Jnd air-drying (AD), on the antioxidant properties of tomato seeds. The quantitative analysis of antioxidative components showed that fresh tomato seeds had highest amount of ascorbic acid but lowest amount of total flavonoids. While air dried tomato seeds had the highest content of vitamin E, total phenolics and total flavonoids. On the other hand the air dried and freeze-dried tomato seeds had an equal content of lycopene nearly. The analysis of the methanolic extract from freeze-dried tomato seeds gave the highest reduction activity and H202 scavenging activity while the fresh tomato seeds had the lowest.