Tomability (2019-2022)

The objective remains better control of manufactored products quality by taking advantage of the natural strenghts of the fruits and their origins (French terroirs recognition). The PhD research program included in this project aims to deepen scientific knowledge and make it operational for the sector, around three main research areas:

 1- Look for production levers that affect fruit quality, though precise agronomic monitoring of contrasting production systems on French territory (South-East and South-West, incuding low-input practices) and analysis of the corresponding productions (yield, fruit quality).

The parameters of interest are in particular those linked to fruit potentiel to provide products with variable texture or color: cell size, structual dry matter content, enzymatic reactivity, number and size of chromoplasts, cell organelles linked to carotenoid content and color...

2- Identify, among the mechanisms that modify the texture or color of tomato purees, those that are affected by low-input practices.

Propose technical transformation practices (modification of refining conditions, heating, concentration) which make it possible to control the texture and therefore to enhance the advantage of these atypical raw materials.

3- Calibrate and improve existing infrared spectrometric models, using contrasting fruits and generated products during the project.

The aim is to make them operational to predict fruit composition and their potential to provide quality products.

TOMABILITY project partners are CTCPA (coordination), INRAE with SQPOV and PSH units and SONITO (Tomato Interprofessional National Society).