VISCOSITY AS AFFECTED BY VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS OF TOMATO JUICE

Abstract

SUMMARY— Degradation of proteins of tomato juice with pronase caused a relatively small loss of viscosity. Commercial cellulase freed of pectolytic activity with 8 M urea greatly decreased the viscosity of washed tomato solids. Further degradation with pectinase was ineffective in reducing viscosity. Cellulase extracted from the tomato lowered viscosity of tomato juice. Enzymatic degradation as indicated by chemical analysis did not always result in a loss of viscosity. By extracting the solids with water, viscosity of tomato juice was lowered drastically. The extent of the reduction was not affected by previous treatment with cellulase or pectinase. Viscosity was not affected by extraction with versene. The greater reduction in viscosity of tomato juice by extraction of the solids with water than with ethanol indicates that the high molecular polymers associated with the insoluble solids contribute greatly to viscosity. The data did not indicate a significant contribution of the uronides to the viscosity of tomato juice.