Studies into the phenolic patterns of biostimulant-treated cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme) fruits during refrigerated storage by HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-HR-MS and ESI-MSn analyses

This research aimed to determine if the preharvest foliar applications of a plant-derived biostimulant (PDB) could alter the contents of functional constituents in ‘Caravaggio’ and ‘Creativo’ cherry tomato fruits during postharvest storage. HPLC-DAD coupled to ESI-QTOF-HR-MS and ESI-MSn disclosed 24 phenolic (hydroxycinnamic acid esters, glycosides, and amides as well as flavonoids and (dihydro)chalcones) and six nitrogen-containing compounds (i.e., tryptamine, serotonin, and nucleosides) as cherry tomato constituents. Individual metabolites were assigned on the basis of their UV absorption, high-resolution mass spectra, and MSn mass fragmentations. On average, levels of total phenolic compounds amounted to 19.2 mg 100 g−1 of fresh weight, with rutin and naringenin chalcone each contributing to 25–26 %. Refrigerated storage for 14 days resulted in elevated total levels of the targeted phenolic and nitrogen-containing compounds and concentrations in PDB-treated samples exceeded those of the control. Thus, storage and the PDB treatment affected composition of cherry tomatoes.