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The antioxidant capacity and the polyphenolic profile of fresh and processed cherry tomatoes were analyzed with the aim of investigating the effect of industrial processes on the nutritional qualities of fruits. The results exhibited a decrease of antioxidant activity mainly in the lipophilic fraction of processed tomatoes compared with fresh products. No great difference in the antioxidant capacity was detected in the hydrophilic and methanolic extracts of fresh tomatoes and processed tomato juices. Moreover, a decrease of polyphenolic content, estimated by means of high-performance liquid chromatography analysis and Folin-Ciocalteu method, was observed in all tomato juices. The overall polyphenolic profile of both fresh and processed tomatoes did not change significantly and, among all juices, a higher polyphenolic content was detected in juice containing peels and seeds in comparison to those without. From our data on antioxidant power and the bioactive metabolite content, tomato juice could be used as a valid and easily available source of antioxidants in everyday diet to preserve human health.

The objective of the present work was to establish the antioxidative ability linked to lipophilic, hydrophilic, and polyphenolic fractions of new tomato hybrids of industrial interest, grown in an outdoor field, named "Medugno", situated in the Agro-Nocerino Sarnese area (Province of Salerno, Campania Region, Italy). Antioxidant activities of lipophilic, hydrophilic, and polyphenolic extracts of tomato hybrids determined by the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl methods, respectively, showed the best results in hybrids obtained between the pure San Marzano and Black Tomato lines. Antioxidant activity tests, performed also on the San Marzano × Black Tomato hybrid (pulped tomatoes), indicated that the industrial transformation process of this new tomato hybrid did not cause a significant loss of antioxidant activity. The in vitro production of nitrite by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages J774A.1 performed on lipophilic extracts showed that only two hybrids (San Marzano × Black Tomato and Marmande × Black Tomato) inhibited, in a concentration-related manner, nitric oxide release. Results suggested that genotypic factors could determine the nutritional quality of tomato because of the content of biologically active compounds and their biosynthesis. Moreover, the new tomato hybrid achieved could have a potential for the agri-food industry because of its nutritional quality and because it lends itself in processes of industrial transformation.