Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme) is a high-value horticultural product widely consumed due to its desirable sensory qualities and health-promoting properties. However, preserving its quality during freezing remains challenging, particularly because of freezing-induced skin cracking and color degradation. This study evaluated the effects of four freezing methods, multistage freezing (MF), individual quick freezing (IQF), static freezing (SF), and vacuum-assisted IQF (V + IQF), on the quality of cherry tomatoes during six months of storage at − 20 °C. Enzymatic activities of pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), and lipoxygenase (LOX), along with physicochemical properties including pH value, titratable acidity, soluble and total solids, lycopene content, color, and skin cracking, were determined. IQF resulted in the highest level of skin cracking, whereas V + IQF significantly reduced cracking; MF and SF showed intermediate effects. Residual PME, PG, and LOX activities were positively correlated with color and lycopene content, while skin cracking was negatively correlated with these attributes. Among the evaluated methods, V + IQF most effectively preserved structural integrity and color stability by reducing skin cracking and improving lycopene retention during long-term storage, demonstrating the potential of vacuum-assisted rapid freezing as an industry-relevant strategy for mitigating freezing-induced quality deterioration in cherry tomatoes.
Deği̇rmenci̇ et al. (Sun,) studied this question.