Comparison of Conventional and Modern Packaging in the Cold Storage of Healthy Tomato Paste and Tomato Paste Contaminated with Aspergillus flavus Spore

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the storage stability of tomato paste packaging of cans and a container with the brand name of "Robby" during 6 weeks.   Materials & Methods: Four cans of tomato paste were prepared from brand A. Sample 1 was covered with the plastic lid after opening. Sample 2 was transferred into a container with the brand name of "Robby". Tomato paste of cans 3 and 4 were contaminated with Aspergillus flavus spore ssuspension­­­ (t 2×106spore/ml) and homogenized in a sterile container. Subsequently, an equal amount of contaminated tomato paste was transferred into the original can (sample 3) and the "Robby" container (sample 4). Samples were stored in a refrigerator at 4°C for 6 weeks. Samples 1 and sample 2 were evaluated regarding acidity, Brix, pH, vitamin C, as well as total bacteria, mold, and yeast count. However, samples 3 and 4 only were analyzed in terms of total bacteria, mold, and yeast count with two replications. All the experiments were individually repeated on another tomato paste with a different brand name. Ethics code: 395833   Findings:  After the second week, there was a 62% decrease and a 4% increase in vitamin C and Brix levels in the tomato paste in the can. However, the reduction in vitamin C level (5%) and the Brix changes were not significant in the "Robby" container. The gradual increase of acidity was observed in both treatments. Nevertheless, there was an increase in the acidity of the tomato paste kept in the can (28%) and "Robby" container (22%) at the end of the sixth week (P<0.05). The "Robby" container had no significant effect on pH and microbial groups (P> 0.05).   Discussion & Conclusions: The "Robby" container definitely provides better conditions for preserving the chemical properties of tomato paste than common means of tomato paste storage.