This study suggests that the skin and seed fractions of
tomato are a very rich source of antioxidant compounds,
and the incorporation of the skin and seeds fraction during
home consumption or processing could lead to about
a 40–53% increase in the amount of all the major antioxidants
in the final product. Therefore, removal of these
fractions during home cooking or processing results in
a loss of their potential health benefits. Consumer demand
for healthy food products provides an opportunity
to develop foods rich in antioxidants as new functional
foods. By adopting slight changes during processing,
the antioxidant and nutrient composition of the final
products can be increased, and a valuable reserve of antioxidants
would be optimally utilized. The results of this
study will be also of value in designing a unit on-site for
the extraction of lycopene and other antioxidants from
the tomato processing wastes. The skin and seed fractions
of tomatoes could also be used as a value added
ingredient in other food products. Along with a diet rich
in other plant produce, tomatoes, and their skins and
seeds, could play an important role in improving antioxidant
intake in the human diet.