There is a general belief that the quality of tomatoes ripened on vine is better than tomatoes ripened off the vine, influencing among other parameters, the price of this commodity. We compared the quality of hydroponic tomatoes ripened on and off vine by chemical, physical, and sensory evaluation to find what attributes are affected and to what extent. Lycopene, ␤-carotene, total and soluble solids, moisture content, ascorbic acid, acidity, pH, texture, and color were analyzed. Tomatoes ripened on vine had significantly more lycopene, ␤-carotene, soluble and total solids, higher a* and lower L*, and were firmer. However, a 100-judge panel rated only the color and overall liking of the vine-ripened tomatoes as more intense than the fruit ripened off vine. Therefore, the chemical and physical differences were mostly not large enough to influence the panelist's perception. The characterization of tomatoes ripened on and off vine may help to guide post-harvest handling and treatment and to improve the quality of tomatoes ripened off vine.

Cornflakes were immersed in milk, rapidly drained and compressed in a TA.XT2i texture analyser (Stable Micro System, UK)fitted with an Ottawa Cell. The data were analyzed numerically yielding nine instrumental crispness parameters. Bowl-life was determined using an untrained sensory panel. Three models (Weibull, exponential and modified exponential) successfully modeled the change in mechanical properties as a function of immersion time. An instrumental method of measuring bowl-life is described that measures peak force at a range of immersion times and models the data with the Weibull equation. This method may be a valuable asset to the breakfast cereals industry.'