Valorization Potential of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Seed: Nutraceutical Quality, Food Properties, Safety Aspects, and Application as a Health-Promoting Ingredient in Foods

Potential Use of Tomato Peel, a Rich Source of Lycopene, for Cancer Treatment

Tomatoes are well known for their impressive nutritional value among vegetables. However, the industrial processing of tomatoes generates a significant amount of waste. Specifically, 10% to 18% of the raw materials used in tomato processing become waste. This waste can seriously affect ecosystems, such as freshwater bodies, wetlands, rivers, and other natural environments, if not properly managed. Interestingly, tomato waste, specifically the skin, contains lycopene, a potent antioxidant and antimutagenic that offers a range of health benefits. This makes it a valuable ingredient in industries such as food and cosmetics. In addition, researchers are exploring the potential of lycopene in the treatment of various types of cancer. This systematic review, guided by the PRISMA 2020 methodology, examined studies exploring the possibility of tomato peel as a source of lycopene and carotenoids for cancer treatment. The findings suggest that tomato peel extracts exhibit promising anticancer properties, underscoring the need for further investigation of possible therapeutic applications. The compiled literature reveals significant potential for using tomato peel to create new cancer treatments, which could potentially revolutionize the field of oncology. This underscores the importance of continued research and exploration, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the scientific community's contribution to this promising area of study.

Extension of Quality and Shelf Life of Tomatoes Using Chitosan Coating Incorporated with Cinnamon Oil

This study examined the effects of 2% chitosan (CS) coatings incorporated with varying concentrations of cinnamon oil (CO) (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) on the extension of the quality and shelf-life of tomatoes stored under ambient conditions. Control samples were untreated and coated with distilled water. All samples were stored for 14 days at 25 ± 1 °C, with quality assessments conducted every two days. The application of CS-CO treatments was notably effective in controlling weight loss (3.91-5.26%) and firmness loss (10.81-16.51 N), sustaining the color index score (11.98-16.78), and stabilizing the total soluble solids (4.64-4.71 brix), titratable acidity (0.374-0.383%), total phenolic content (75.89-81.54 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid concentration (21.64-33.69 mg/100 g), total antioxidant capacity (85.89-91.54%) and pigment levels, particularly chlorophyll (52.80-63.18 mg/100 g), compared to control samples (p < 0.05). Higher CO concentrations (1.0% and 1.5%) in the CS coating maintained a significant level of phytochemicals in the samples compared to the control group, while CS-CO at 0.5% performed similarly in preserving the other physicochemical qualities. Both CS and CS-CO treatments extended the shelf life of the tomatoes up to 14 days (<6.78 log10 CFU/mL), whereas control samples were only viable for storage for 6 days due to higher microbial growth (>7.8 log10 CFU/mL) (p < 0.05). Overall, CS-CO-treated tomatoes demonstrated superior quality preservation and shelf-life enhancement, with a notable improvement in overall qualities as compared to the CS and control samples.

Tomato pomace as a source of valuable functional ingredients for improving physicochemical and sensory properties and extending the shelf life of foods: A review

Due to its nutritional and bioactive content, tomato pomace (TP) remains among the world's richest fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes and TP (generated coproduct) are a very rich source of lycopene and other carotenoid compounds and contain an essential amount of polyphenols, policosanol, phytosterols, organic acids, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins. TP is a promising source of significant bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. Therefore, their consumption is known to be effective in preventing certain chronic diseases. For example, lycopene prevents prostate cancer and acts as a hepatoprotector and genoprotector against mycotoxins, pesticide residues, and heavy metals. Thus, the valorization of TP as a food ingredient can be of great health, economic and environmental interest and contribute to improving nutrition and food security. During the last decades, considerable efforts have been made to valorize TP as a crucial functional ingredient in improving: (i) the nutritional and functional properties, (ii) sensory characteristics and (iii) the shelf life of many foods. The current review aims to update and summarize the knowledge on the recent food applications of TP, particularly its use as a functional ingredient to improve the functional properties and shelf life of foods.

Tomato leaf disease recognition based on multi-task distillation learning

Introduction

Tomato leaf diseases can cause major yield and quality losses. Computer vision techniques for automated disease recognition show promise but face challenges like symptom variations, limited labeled data, and model complexity.

Methods

Prior works explored hand-crafted and deep learning features for tomato disease classification and multi-task severity prediction, but did not sufficiently exploit the shared and unique knowledge between these tasks. We present a novel multi-task distillation learning (MTDL) framework for comprehensive diagnosis of tomato leaf diseases. It employs knowledge disentanglement, mutual learning, and knowledge integration through a multi-stage strategy to leverage the complementary nature of classification and severity prediction.

Results

Experiments show our framework improves performance while reducing model complexity. The MTDL-optimized EfficientNet outperforms single-task ResNet101 in classification accuracy by 0.68% and severity estimation by 1.52%, using only 9.46% of its parameters.

Discussion

The findings demonstrate the practical potential of our framework for intelligent agriculture applications.

Immunomodulatory Plant Natural Products as Therapeutics against Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Frequently occurring inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis, acne, including skin cancer, wounds and other disorders arising out of premature skin aging, deteriorate skin health and adversely impact human life. Even though several synthetic compounds have evolved for treating these skin conditions, natural-product-based therapeutics are gaining popularity with growing evidence of their efficacy and safety for treating skin disorders. Many of these inflammatory skin diseases have underlying disturbances in our immune system and immunomodulatory natural products provide solutions for their effective treatment and aid in understanding the underlying mechanism of such inflammatory skin conditions. Based on this premise, the present review summarizes the possible application of plant-derived immunomodulatory compositions and single molecules for treating inflammatory skin conditions. In vitro, in vivo and mechanistic studies reported the application of selected plant-derived natural products for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders including, cancer and infections. Several online databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct have been searched for gathering the information covered in this review. Empirical studies demonstrated that most of these natural compounds exhibited therapeutic properties through their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory potential supplemented often with anti-microbial, anti-neoplastic, and anti- oxidant activities. Overall, plant-based natural products discussed here are capable of modulating the immune system to minimize or completely suppress the pro-inflammatory markers, scavenge free radicals (ROS), prevent bacteria, fungal, and virus-derived skin infections and often regress skin cancer through the induction of apoptosis. The challenges and opportunities associated with the application of plant-based immunomodulators for skin applications and their safety considerations are also discussed here. The present study indicated that immunomodulatory plant natural products being biologically validated ligands against various biological targets manifested in inflammatory skin diseases, offer an effective, safe and affordable treatment for such disorders affecting skin health. However, further clinical evaluations are needed to substantiate these findings.

Tomato wastes and by-products: upcoming sources of polyphenols and carotenoids for food, nutraceutical, and pharma applications

Tomato pomace, a waste product consisting of peels, seeds, rich on fibrous matter, represents an underutilized source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and carotenoids. Here we present a three-pronged review of the circular utilization of tomato waste in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. First, we explain why tomato waste is important, highlighting the processing techniques that generate it. The bioactive compounds in these by-products are then comprehensively reviewed, focusing especially on phenolic compounds and carotenoids and the methods used for their extraction. Finally, we examine the potential of these bioactive ingredients for application in food systems and pharmaceutical products.

Essential oils as valuable feed additive: A narrative review of the state of knowledge about their beneficial health applications and enhancement of production performances in poultry

New research has begun to develop safe and effective alternatives to feed-antibiotics as growth enhancers in response to mounting pressure on the poultry sector to do so. There is a significant demand for poultry products all across the world right now. To achieve this goal, key performance indicators are optimized, such as the rate of chicken growth, the amount of feed used, and the health of the flock as a whole. As a result of this growing need, various alternatives to antibiotics have entered the market. New approaches are desperately needed to keep poultry productivity and efficiency at a high level in the face of mounting pressure to limit the use of antibiotics. Recent years have seen an uptick in interest in the potential of aromatic plant extracts as growth and health boosters in poultry. The great majority of plants' positive effects are accounted for by essential oils (EOs) and other secondary metabolites. EOs have been proven to promote digestive secretion production, improve blood circulation, exert antioxidant qualities, reduce levels of dangerous microbes, and maybe improve the immune status of poultry. EOs are often believed to be safe, non-toxic alternatives because they are all-natural, chemical-free, and devoid of potentially harmful deposits. EOs are extracted from plants, and while there are thousands of them, only approximately 300 have been deemed to have significant commercial value. Many different types of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are negatively affected by EOs in multiple studies conducted both in vitro and in vivo. The review covers the fundamentals of EOs, their anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory capabilities, their growth-promoting benefits, and their effectiveness against numerous diseases in poultry.

Potential effects of essential oils in safeguarding the health and enhancing production performance of livestock animals: The current scientific understanding

The food sector competes in a cutthroat environment, and it constantly struggles to maintain or even grow its market share. For customer confidence and consumption to remain strong, consistent animal products are needed. The qualitative attributes of the derived goods appear to be improved by the addition of bioactive substances to food, such as essential oils (EOs), and consumers are shielded from the impacts of bacterial and oxidative deterioration. Due to the current controversy surrounding synthetic chemicals and their alleged carcinogenic potential, a substantial study has been done to find effective and safe substitutes. Aromatic plants and the corresponding EOs from them are considered natural products and are typically employed in ruminant nutrition. Since dietary supplementation has been demonstrated to be an easy and practical method to successfully suppress oxidative processes or microbial deterioration at their localized sites, the addition of EOs in animal diets is now becoming a regular practice. However, there is just a little amount of evidence supporting the notion that these compounds may improve nutrient absorption and gastrointestinal health. Additionally, a variety of factors affect how well EOs works in animal diets. These variables can be, on the one hand, the erratic composition, and the many additions to the diet, and, on the other hand, erratic animal genetic elements. Maximizing the use of EOs and creating high-quality products require a deeper understanding of the composition and activity of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota. Numerous EOs contain bioactive substances with the potential to serve as multifunctional feed supplements for animals, with impacts on growth performance, the digestive system, the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and lipid oxidation, among others. To establish their regular use in animal production and to determine their precise mechanism of action, more research is required. The potential advantages of EOs for livestock health and production are highlighted in the current article.

A Comprehensive Overview of Tomato Processing By-Product Valorization by Conventional Methods versus Emerging Technologies

The tomato processing industry can be considered one of the most widespread food manufacturing industries all over the world, annually generating considerable quantities of residue and determining disposal issues associated not only with the wasting of invaluable resources but also with the rise of significant environmental burdens. In this regard, previous studies have widely ascertained that tomato by-products are still rich in valuable compounds, which, once recovered, could be utilized in different industrial sectors. Currently, conventional solvent extraction is the most widely used method for the recovery of these compounds from tomato pomace. Nevertheless, several well-known drawbacks derive from this process, including the use of large quantities of solvents and the difficulties of utilizing the residual biomass. To overcome these limitations, the recent advances in extraction techniques, including the modification of the process configuration and the use of complementary novel methods to modify or destroy vegetable cells, have greatly and effectively influenced the recovery of different compounds from plant matrices. This review contributes a comprehensive overview on the valorization of tomato processing by-products with a specific focus on the use of "green technologies", including high-pressure homogenization (HPH), pulsed electric fields (PEF), supercritical fluid (SFE-CO₂), ultrasounds (UAE), and microwaves (MAE), suitable to enhancing the extractability of target compounds while reducing the solvent requirement and shortening the extraction time. The effects of conventional processes and the application of green technologies are critically analyzed, and their effectiveness on the recovery of lycopene, polyphenols, cutin, pectin, oil, and proteins from tomato residues is discussed, focusing on their strengths, drawbacks, and critical factors that contribute to maximizing the extraction yields of the target compounds. Moreover, to follow the "near zero discharge concept", the utilization of a cascade approach to recover different valuable compounds and the exploitation of the residual biomass for biogas generation are also pointed out.

Low-Fat Salad Dressing as a Potential Probiotic Food Carrier Enriched by Cold-Pressed Tomato Seed Oil By-Product: Rheological Properties, Emulsion Stability, and Oxidative Stability

This study aims to investigate the potential of the use of cold-pressed tomato seed oil by-products in a low-fat salad dressing as potential probiotic food carriers to improve the oxidative stability and emulsion stability as well as the rheological properties. The low-fat salad dressing emulsions were formulated with cold-pressed tomato seed by-product (TBP) and Lactobacillus plantarum ELB90. The optimum low-fat salad dressing formulations found were determined as 10 g/100 g oil, 0.283 g/100 g xanthan, and 2.925 g/100 g TBP. The samples prepared with the optimum formulation (SD-O) were compared with the low-fat control salad dressing sample (SD-LF) and the high-fat control salad dressing sample (SD-HF) based on the rheological properties, emulsion stability, oxidative stability, and L. plantarum ELB90 viability. The sample SD-O showed shear-thinning, viscoelastic solid, and recoverable characters. The sample SD-O showed higher IP and ΔG ⁺⁺ and lower ΔS ⁺⁺ values than those of the control samples. After 9 weeks of refrigerated storage, viable L. plantarum ELB90 cell counts of salad dressing samples were counted as 7.93 ± 0.03, 5.81 ± 0.04, and 6.02 ± 0.08 log cfu g^-1 for SD-O, SD-LF, and SD-HF, respectively. This study showed that TBP could be successfully used in a low-fat salad dressing as a potential probiotic carrier.

Natural Polyphenol Recovery from Apple-, Cereal-, and Tomato-Processing By-Products and Related Health-Promoting Properties

Polyphenols of plant origin are a broad family of secondary metabolites that range from basic phenolic acids to more complex compounds such as stilbenes, flavonoids, and tannins, all of which have several phenol units in their structure. Considerable health benefits, such as having prebiotic potential and cardio-protective and weight control effects, have been linked to diets based on polyphenol-enriched foods and plant-based products, indicating the potential role of these substances in the prevention or treatment of numerous pathologies. The most representative phenolic compounds in apple pomace are phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin, with major health implications in diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and neurocognitive diseases. The cereal byproducts are rich in flavonoids (cyanidin 3-glucoside) and phenolic acids (ferulic acid), all with significant results in reducing the incidence of noncommunicable diseases. Quercetin, naringenin, and rutin are the predominant phenolic molecules in tomato by-products, having important antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The present understanding of the functionality of polyphenols in health outcomes, specifically, noncommunicable illnesses, is summarized in this review, focusing on the applicability of this evidence in three extensive agrifood industries (apple, cereal, and tomato processing). Moreover, the reintegration of by-products into the food chain via functional food products and personalized nutrition (e.g., 3D food printing) is detailed, supporting a novel direction to be explored within the circular economy concept.

Novel zero waste tactics for commercial vegetables – recent advances

Commercial vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and eggplant due to their surplus production, availability, and affordability. The valorisation of the massive wastage of commercial vegetables and providing a long-term solution has been challenging. The review addresses the implications of biowastes on the environment and fosters the recent investigations into valorising commercial vegetable waste to develop multiple value-added products. It discussed the outcomes of the multiple technologies, majorly on green chemistry extraction, while outlining other methods such as fermentation, enzymatic treatments, 3D printing foods, high-pressure homogenisation, microencapsulation, bio-absorption method, and pyrolysis for their respective vegetable wastes. Agri-residues can be a valuable source for formulating functional ingredients, natural additives, biodiesel, dyes, and animal feed. This comprehensive review proposes a strategy to upcycle low-cost biowaste to boost the economic and ecological benefits. The current review captures the interests and great collaborations between researchers, industrialists, policymakers, waste management bodies, and eco-activists.

Valorization of Tomato Seed By-Products as a Source of Fatty Acids and Bioactive Compounds by Using Advanced Extraction Techniques

In this work, lipids and bioactive compounds from tomato seed by-products were extracted and compared by using advanced extraction techniques, such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The influence of different extraction parameters, including extraction temperature (T), time (t) and solvent volume (V) for MAE as well as extraction temperature (T), pressure (P) and flow rate (F) for SFE-CO₂, was evaluated on tomato seed oil (TSO) yield and fatty acids composition using response surface methodology (RSM). Optimum extraction conditions for MAE were 56.2 °C, 29.0 min, and 67.6 mL, whereas conditions of 60.2 °C, 400.0 bar, and 64.6 g min⁻¹ were found for SFE-CO₂. Under these conditions, higher TSO extraction yields were obtained by MAE compared to SFE-CO₂ (25.3 wt% and 16.9 wt%, respectively), while similar fatty acids profiles were found by GC in terms of FAMEs composition: methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, and methyl linoleate, accounting for around 80 wt% of unsaturated fatty acids. TSO MAE extracts showed high DPPH• radical scavenging activity which was related to the presence of tocopherols; in particular γ-tocopherol, which was found as the dominant homologue (260.3 ± 0.6 mg kg_TS⁻¹) followed by a lower amount of α-tocopherol (6.53 ± 0.12 mg kg_TS⁻¹) by HPLC-DAD. The obtained results suggested that tomato seeds are an interesting source of bioactive compounds with potential use in a wide range of nutritional and food applications, increasing the added value of this by-product, which is currently underexploited.

Tomato By-Products, a Source of Nutrients for the Prevention and Reduction of Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a global phenomenon that mainly affects children under five years old, the elderly and food insecure people. It can be linked to undernourishment or overnutrition. To prevent it, a healthy and balanced diet, rich in energy and micronutrients, is necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition and contribution of tomato by-products to prevent and reduce malnutrition. Thus, standard methods were used for proximate composition and bioactive compounds. Results showed that tomato by-products are rich in macronutrients and micronutrients capable of preventing undernutrition and reducing the incidence of the effects of overnutrition. The average carbohydrate, protein and lipid contents were 15.43%, 11.71% and 5.4% (DM) in peels and for seeds the contents were 58.75%, 15.4% and 22.2%, respectively. The average energy values were 280.47 kcal/100 g and 472.8 kcal/100 g DM for peels and seeds, respectively. The main minerals found were, in decreasing order, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron and zinc. High contents of phenolic compounds, lycopene, β-carotene and vitamin C were also found in these by-products. They also presented important antioxidant activities. Due to their nutritional and bioactive compounds, tomato by-products may be included in functional food formulation programs to reduce the incidence of nutritional diseases.