“Rhapsody’ tomatoes heated for 24 h in air at 34ºC or 38ºC were compared to fruit heated in 5% O2 at 38º
C in order to determine if heat treatment applied in reduced O2 pressure might reduce stress-related oxidative
changes that sometimes accompany heat injury. Fruit were subsequently stored at 4ºC or 10 ºC for up to 30 days.
Unheated fruit and those heated in air at 34ºC for 24 h developed the best colour during storage at 10ºC. Storage at
4ºC inhibited carotenoid development in all treatments. Fruit heated in air or in 5% O2 lost the most ascorbic acid
and isoascorbic acid. Glutathione reductase activity at the end of storage was similar in all fruit, while glutathion Stransferase
activity was higher in fruit that had initially been heated in 5% O2. Therefore, heating of ‘Rhapsody’
tomato fruit in air at 34ºC for 24 h prior to storage at 10ºC for up to 30 days resulted in the least losses in antioxidant
content, and fruit colour developed adequately. Reduced O2 pressure neither improved the efficacy of the heat
treatment in reducing chilling injury nor protected tomato fruit from the negative effects of heat treatment.