Consumption of Solanum lycopersicum or known as tomato has been associated
with the decreased risk of some cancer types. Epidemiological findings confirmed
the observed health effects due to the presence of varied antioxidants in tomato.
This is due to variations of antioxidants presence in tomatoes. Therefore, it is
important to know which types of tomatoes species contain the highest number
of antioxidants and antioxidant activity. In this study, antioxidant content and
antioxidant activity of four tomato variants was studied. The objectives of this
research was to screen for metabolites and to compare number of metabolites by
using two different extraction method. A comparison of the antioxidant activity
and total phenolic content between four tomato variants was conducted based on
the results. Tomatoes that are used in this study includes tomato, truss tomato,
yellow cherry tomato and red cherry tomato. These tomatoes were subjected to
metabolite extraction using two different solvents which is methanol and
methanol-chloroform. Following that, screening of metabolites were performed
using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and metabolites were
detected and analysed. The total antioxidant activity of the tomatoes was
measured using 2,2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing
power (FRAP) assays. The Total Phenolic Content (TPC) was determined
spectrophotometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteau procedure. The number
of metabolites detected using GCMS are higher in methanol-chloroform extract
as compared to methanol extract. Methanolic extracts of all four tomatoes were
shown to have free radical scavenging activity. However, red cherry tomato
showed to have the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 1.7 mg/ml,
followed by truss tomato with IC50 2.1 mg/ml, yellow cherry tomato with IC50 4.0
mg/ml and finally tomato with IC50 5.6 mg/ml. The highest value of FRAP in
Gallic Acid Equivalent was 4.3 mg/g in red cherry tomato, followed by 3.8 mg/g
in truss tomato, 2.9 mg/g in yellow cherry tomato and 2.4 mg/g in tomato. The
total phenolic content ranges from 0.44 to 3.73 mg/ml. In conclusion, red cherry
tomato shown to have the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity
compared to the other three variants. The findings of this research provide some
valuable information to consumers when choosing the best type of tomatoes for
good wellbeing and as well to set the basis of future research.