PROCESS OF RIPENING IN THE TOMATO. 
25 
were wrapped with one and three papers and set aside at room tem- 
perature until they also attained a red color. These were sampled 1 1 
days later. Summaries of the analyses are given in Table VII. 
Table VII. — Composition of commercially picked green Livingston Globe tomatoes 
allovjed to ripen under different conditions as compared with artificially ripened turnings 
and vine-ripened red fruits . 
[The asterisk (*) indicates that the given result is based upon a single determination; results not thus 
marked are the mean of two determinations.] 
Constituents. 
Sec. A.— Percentage of entire fruit: 
Moisture 
Total solids 
Sugar-free solids 
Acidity (as citric acid) 
Total nitrogen! 
Protein (=N X 6.25) 
- Total sugar (as invert) 
Cane sugar 
Reducing sugar (as invert) 
Starch 
Pentosans 
Crude fiber 
Ratio (sugar -=- acid) 
Carbohydrates — 
Total 
Soluble 
Insoluble. 
Sec. B.— Percentage of dry matter: 
Sugar-free solids 
Acidity (as citric acid) 
Total nitrogen 
Protein(=N X 6.25) 
Total sugar (as invert) .-. 
Cane sugar 
Reducing sugar (as invert) 
Starch 
Pentosans 
Crude fiber 
Ratio (sugar ■*- acid) 
Carbohydrates- 
Total 
Soluble 
Insoluble 
Commercially picked; ripening- 
No ven- 
tilation. 
*93. 930 
*6. 070 
3.745 
1.104 
*. 134 
*.838 
2.325 
.048 
2.275 
.079 
.255 
*482 
2.110 
3.140 
2.325 
.815 
61.700 
18. 180 
*2: 210 
*13. 810 
38.290 
.791 
37. 450 
1.301 
4.190 
*7. 940 
2.110 
51. 730 
38. 290 
13. 440 
One pa- 
per wrap- 
ping. 
*94. 500 
*5. 500 
3.037 
.850 
.131 
.818 
2.462 
.012 
2.450 
.084 
.224 
♦482 
3.010 
3.253 
2.463 
.790 
55. 050 
15. 450 
2.380 
14. 670 
45. 950 
.218 
44. 540 
1.620 
4.080 
*8. 760 
3.010 
60. 400 
45. 950 
14. 450 
Three pa- 
per wrap- 
pings. 
*94. 430 
*5. 570 
3.039 
.673 
.1265 
.791 
2.531 
.077 
2.450 
.139 
.238 
*.473 
3.760 
3.381 
2.531 
.850 
54. 550 
12. 080 
2.270 
14. 190 
45. 440 
1.382 
43. 980 
2.500 
4.270 
*8. 490 
3.760 
60. 700 
45. 440 
15. 260 
At room 
tempera- 
ture. 
*94. 310 
*5. 690 
3.059 
.475 
.1335 
:834 
2.631 
.012 • 
2.628 
.095 
.214 
*.462 
■ 5.540 
3.403 
2.631 
.772 
53. 770 
8.340 
2.340 
14. 630 
46.230 
.210 
46. 010 
1.680 
3.770 
*8. 120 
5.540 
59. 800 
46.230 
13. 670 
Turning 
fruit; • 
ripened 
at room 
tempera- 
ture. 
*94. 540 
*5. 460 
2.916 
.375 
. 1265 
.791 
2.543 
.024 
2.518 
.101 
.251 
*.438 
6.780 
3.334 
2.543 
.791 
53. 410 
6.860 
2.320 
14.500 
46. 580 
.430 
46. 120 
1.850 
4.600 
*8. 020 
6.780 
61. 050 
46. 580 
14. 470 
Vine- 
ripened 
fruit; 
red ripe. 
*94. 490 
*5. 510 
2.847 
.420 
.116 
.725 
2.667 
.024 
2.637 
.146 
.238 
*.394 
6.340 
3.441 
2.667 
.774 
51.670 
7.620 
2.100 
13. 130 
48. 130 
.435 
47.850 
2.650 
4.320 
*7.150 
6.340 
62. 450 
48.320 
14. 130 
There are striking differences in the analyses between the acid 
and carbohydrate content of tomatoes commercially picked and 
ripened without ventilation and the same fruit ripened when exposed 
to the air. Without ventilation the acids are very high and the 
soluble carbohydrates (sugars) are low. These facts indicate incom- 
plete oxidation of carbohydrates to carbon dixoid (G0 2 ) with the 
consequent accumulation of acid. The connection of these changes 
in composition with the flavor is very obvious. The nonventilated 
fruit was markedly inferior. Although the reaction was decidedly 
acid, the general flavor was insipid. While the same effect was not 
produced to as great an extent in fruit ripened when wrapped with 
paper, it nevertheless takes place. Fruit wrapped with one paper 
had a noticeably inferior flavor; it was not as poor as the sample 
ripened without ventilation, but it was worse than that of green 
