Nutritional Qualities of Three Common Tomato Cultivars (UTC, Dan-Eka and Dan-Masari) in Dutsin-ma Local Government Area Katsina State

This work investigates the nutritional qualities of three common local tomato cultivars UTC, Dan -Masari and Dan-Eka in Dutsinma Local Government using standard techniques. The proximate, mineral, vitamins and lycopene contents were determined using AOAC method of analysis and the values were as follows. The moisture contents of the tomatoes were 95.56± 0.16 %, 93.85±0.12 %, 93.97±0.61 % for UTC, Dan-masari and Dan-eka respectively. Ash content were 0.36±0.03 %, 0.47±0.06 %, 0.51±0.09 % respectively. Protein content were 0.99±0.04 %, 0.73±0.07 %, and 0.79±0.79 % in the same order. Total carbohydrate for UTC indicated values of 2.58±0.24%, Dan-eka indicated value of 4.72±0.04% and Dan-masari indicated values of 4.53±0.38 %. While the fat content showed 0.19±0.00 %, 0.73±0.07 %, 0.188±0.01 % in that order. For vitamin A, the results were 19.80±0.73 mg/kg, 18.93±0.71 mg/kg and 15.49±0.24 mg/kg respectively. For vitamin B₂ and B₃ UTC has 0.003±0.00 mg/kg and 0.05±0.18 mg/kg in the same respect, Dan-eka showed B₂ 0.05±0.08 mg/kg and B₃ 0.15±0.20 mg/kg respectively while Dan-masari indicated B₂ 0.000±0.00 mg/kg and B₃ 0.15±0.20 mg/kg and vitamin C indicated values of 42.68±8.93 mg/kg for UTC, Dan-eka showed 52.82±3.60 mg/kg and Dan-masari showed values of 84.47±1.67 mg/kg. The lycopene content UTC has the values of 116.01±1.59 mg/kg, Dan-eka indicated 127.18±3.65 mg/kg and Dan-masari showed 91.36±2.24 mg/kg. The mineral content for potassium indicated values of 3.74±0.28 ppm, 3.40±0.16 ppm, 3.08±0.61 ppm for UTC, Dan-eka and Dan-masari respectively. For the iron content, 0.008±0.04 ppm, 0.002±0.00 ppm and 0.004±0.00 ppm of UTC, Dan-eka and Dan-masari respectively. Magnesium values were 0.27±0.07 ppm, 0.22±0.16 ppm and 0.25±0.02 ppm correspondingly. For calcium, the obtained values were 0.26±0.04 ppm, 0.26±0.05 ppm, 0.38±0.07 ppm respectively. The sodium contents were 0.18±0.02 ppm, 0.18±0.08 ppm, 0.30±0.13 ppm in that order. These local varieties grown in Dutsinma are also good source of nutrient with no difference in the physiological quality parameters compared to the one been imported. However, Dan-eka shows higher content of these nutrients in terms of lycopene and vitamin contents which makes it the best of these cultivars. However the results of this work suggest that three cultivars can provide good industrial raw materials for paste production because their total solids are within the range of specification and can meet daily recommended intake of lycopene and vitamin, moreover the low fat values for these samples gives it a positive nutritional implication.