Tomatoes are rich source of antioxidant compounds, such as lycopene, phenolics and ascorbic acid however consumption of raw tomatoes gives only tiny amounts of lycophene.

Research team used a model of the digestive tract in order to measure the amount of lycopene and other antioxidants released from tomatoes during typical digestive conditions. Data revealed 75% of the total antioxidants were released including 4% of the lycopene found in the raw tomato.

Nutritional biochemist Carolyn Lister of Plant & Food Research (PFR) said that tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene in the human diet, as well as containing other antioxidants essential for health. However, the human digestive tract is not able to release the majority of lycopene from raw tomatoes, so only a small amount would be made available for the body to use.

Lister said: "Processing tomatoes has been shown to make lycopene more bioavailable, so as well as eating raw tomatoes for their nutritional value, we should eat tomato sauces to get the goodness of the lycopene."