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MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 354 



other sections. Hothouse tomatoes of the Comet variety were used in determin- 

 ing the location of ascorbic acid. The locule section of the tomato, containing 

 the seeds and gelatinous material, had the largest amount of ascorbic acid, 0.19 

 mg. per gram (Table 9); the outside skin and flesh, 0.11 mg. per gram; and the 

 center core, 0.11 mg. per gram. Although the locule section has the largest 

 amount of ascorbic acid per unit of weight, its volume in relation to the remainder 

 of the fruit is small. For this reason, as shown in Table 9, the total ascorbic 

 acid in the locule section is considerably less than that in the outside skin and 

 flesh. 



Table 9. — Ascorbic Acid Content of Various Sections of the Tomato 

 (Comet Variety) 



The outside flesh and skin constitute approximately 60 percent by weight; the seeds and liquid 

 in locules, approximately 18 percent; and the center core, approximately 22 percent. 



Effect of Size 



McHenry and Graham (1935) found an inverse relationship between size and 

 ascorbic acid content of tomatoes. However, in the common commercial varieties 

 and strains of tomatoes grown in 1936, no correlation could be found between 

 size and ascorbic acid content. The largest and the smallest tomato fruit of 

 each variety and strain were compared. In 48 cases the largest tomato had a 

 greater amount of ascorbic acid per gram of tomato than the smallest one, the 

 average percentage difference being 40.3. In the remaining 43 cases the smallest 

 tomato had the greater amount of ascorbic acid per unit of weight, the average 

 percentage difference being 18.9. 



Effect of Maturity 



Although all tomatoes selected for the determination of ascorbic acid in tomato 

 varieties were harvested when considered to be fully ripe, there was difficulty 

 in estimating the same degree of ripeness for each selection. To ascertain whether 

 the stage of maturity influenced the amount of ascorbic acid in the varieties 

 determined, six varieties, fully grown, were examined when green and hard, when 

 half-ripe, and when fully ripe. The results are shown in Table 10. Fruits at the 

 difTerent stages of development were picked from the same plants. 



Six to eight tomatoes were selected, typical of the degree of maturity to be 

 tested. Three composite samples of from 15 to 20 grams, were used. The data 

 show no consistent increase in the ascorbic acid content of tomatoes during the 

 three stages of maturity studied and, therefore, it cannot be considered that the 



