Nutritional Supply vs. Flavor Quality: Characterizing the Physicochemical Properties and Amino Acid Profiles of Tomatoes from Beijing and Shandong

The nutritional quality and amino acid profiles of 165 tomato samples (66 regular and 99 cherry varieties) from Beijing and Shandong in Northern China were assessed. The results showed that the regional origin was associated with differences in Dry Matter (8.88% vs. 6.73%), Soluble Solids (8.04% vs. 5.80%), total titratable acidity (5.57 vs. 4.08 g/kg), and Lycopene levels (67.32 vs. 38.22 mg/kg). Shandong tomatoes generally showed higher values than those from Beijing. Vitamin C levels were comparable between the two regions (17.79 vs. 13.98 mg/100 g), suggesting no linkage between Vitamin C variation and Dry Matter differences in this dataset. These regional differences likely reflect integrated effects of cultivation systems, varietal composition, and environmental conditions. They may not be explained by geographic origin alone. Principal component analysis revealed regional clustering driven by the accumulation of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids, with glutamate and aspartate contributing strongly to flavor-related variation. These findings provide insights into regional tomato quality and may support precision cultivation and breeding strategies.