FIELD: agriculture and food-processing industry, in particular, preparing of fresh tomatoes for storage and further usage in space feeding.
SUBSTANCE: method involves sequentially extracting biomass of Pythium ultimum micromycet using non-polar extractant in supercritical state, water, alkali, water, acid, water, alkali, and water; joining first extract to solid residue for producing of preparation from biomass; sterilizing distilled water, paper wads and smoking paper; preparing 0.02%-potassium permanganate solution, 0.5%-citric acid solution, and 0.01%-suspension of biomass preparation, said solutions and suspension being based on sterilized distilled water; inspecting milk ripening phase tomatoes; holding tomatoes in sweet water having temperature of 20-30 C during 10-20 min; washing in sweet running water having temperature of 20-30 C; separating stems; sequentially holding at room temperature in potassium permanganate solution, citric acid solution and biomass preparation suspension during 5 min in each solution and suspension; removing residual solutions and suspension from fruit surfaces using sterilized paper wads; applying continuous layer of medicinal glue to stem site and adjoining surface of 16-25 mm2 area; exposing each of fruit opposite sides to ultraviolet radiation during 30 min at power intensity of 2 W/m3; packaging each tomato under aseptic conditions in smoking paper and laying in single layer in sterile polymer trays. Method allows shelf life of fresh tomatoes to be increased to 45 days.
EFFECT: prolonged shelf life of tomatoes making them fit for further usage in space feeding.
