Impact of industrial processing on the phospholipid profile of canned tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are central to the Mediterranean diet, yet their lipidomic profile remains understudied. This work investigates the impact of industrial processes on the lipidome of canned tomatoes, using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution/accuracy mass spectrometry. Major glycerophospholipids were identified and quantified in both ripe and processed samples. Ripe fruits showed high levels of intact phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylcholines (PC) species, while canned commercial samples revealed a significant increase in their lyso-forms (L), such as LPC 16:0 and LPE 18:2, as evidenced by the outcome of the statistical comparison. These changes raise the possibility that phospholipases are activated during processing, leading to lipid hydrolysis. This study highlights how industrial treatments can reshape the lipidome, offering insights into food quality and biochemical transformations during processing.