Organic, Regenerative, and Conventional Cultivation Strategies, a Comparative Vitamin C Analysis in Tomatoes.

In this study, different varieties of grape and full-size tomatoes were used to compare their vitamin C content depending on their method of cultivation. These methods included conventional supermarket varieties, organic supermarket varieties, local non-organic varieties, and varieties from a farm practicing a regenerative-organic approach to cultivation. The supermarket varieties selected were grape and hothouse nonorganic tomatoes, and organic grape tomatoes. Hothouse and grape tomatoes were selected from local non-organic sources, and these were also selected from the local regenerative farm. These were all kept in refrigerated storage for less than 24 hours to minimize analyte degradation before processing. To begin processing, the tomatoes were washed, dried, had their stems and any brown spots removed, and then were weighed. Following this they would be cut up and homogenized with a hand mixer, then the tomato pulp would be diluted twenty five percent by volume with water to begin to lower the concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid (L-AA) to within the sensitivity range of the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) column. After dilution the pulp would be transferred to plastic vials for centrifugation and subsequent filtration to remove any remaining tomato solids which might interfere with the operation of the HPLC column. The extract would then be transferred to amber HPLC vials, which would help to reduce the impact of UV light on the degradation of L-AA in the tomato extract. Standards of L-AA in the expected range of concentrations for L-AA in the tomato extract would be prepared using serial dilutions to be measured with each trial in the HPLC column, these also would be stored in amber vials. Once processing began, it proceeded quickly to preserve the integrity of the analyte in the tomato extract and the standards of L-AA standards used in HPLC testing. From comparing relative concentrations of vitamin C between each method of cultivation, we will have further insight into the relationship between method of cultivation and nutritional profile of tomatoes.