Finding a tomato that actually tastes like a tomato is getting harder. science can help us

Tomato is the fruit and vegetable crop most valuable what world. In 2021, they were consumed more than 189 million metric tons worldwide and, in Europe, represents the 31% of all the vegetables produced on the continent.

On the way to becoming the king of the garden, it has gained color, size, useful life… But it has lost something fundamental, its most intimate treasure: flavor. Luckily science has keys to help us identify the best.

How our obsession with size killed the taste of tomatoes

In 2017, a team of researchers from the University of Florida led by Harry Klee they were made a simple question: what happens to the tomatoes? To answer it, they analyzed 398 different varieties and traced the genetic bases of their organoleptic qualities. His conclusion is that the tomato is a devilishly difficult fruit.

While the smell-taste balance of fruits such as bananas and strawberries depend on a single volatile compound (or very few), the tomato needs about 25 different compounds to build its unmistakable organoleptic identity. And that’s dozens of well-balanced amino acids, sugars, and volatile compounds.

Realizing this, Klee’s team understood why “improving” the tomato and preserving its flavor was so difficult. It wasn’t easy keep that chemical balance while we modified the rest of the genes to find better colors, bigger sizes and increase their durability.

However, it is not impossible: if we prioritize the flavor, the process may be slower, but little by little we will get better tomatoes in the rest of the characteristics. The problem is that nobody wanted to wait. For decades, tomatoes have been obsessively selected for size, brightness, color and shelf life. But, above all, because of the size. As a large part of the tomato flavor depends on the sugars it contains, as a general rule size is inversely related to flavor (ie, with the amount of sugar).

The first wild tomatoes were about the size of a pea, and according to Klee’s team, today’s tomatoes have become a thousand times larger than those early tomatoes.

However, it is true that in recent decades selection processes have intensified and have mortally wounded commercial varieties modern. According to Klee’s resultsthese varieties already only have 13 of the 25 volatile compounds that give the tomato its smell.

What can we extract from all this?

Taking all this into account, we can conclude that there are two fundamental criteria when buying tomatoes and, in addition, a trick to avoid the most common problems.

The first criterion is variety because, as we said, many of the most important commercial varieties are for trawling. It is no coincidence that the pink tomato from Barbastro or the ugly tomato from Tudela are well known in Spain. In other words, varieties that are ‘commercial’ enough to ensure a wide and quality production; but ‘uncommercial’ enough to preserve the flavor.

In addition there are many traditional varieties (of regional or provincial scope) that are really interesting if we intend to eat quality tomatoes. The Montgrí from Girona, cor de bou, the mutxamel from Valencia, the Galician monfortes, the avoa from Osedo, the tomatoes from the Sierra de la Culebra, the black tomato from Segureño or the Mallorcan Valldemossa… the list is endless.

The second criterion has to do with how it is grown, Spain is a giant in tomato production (especially if we are talking about tomatoes for fresh consumption) and, in general, the quality of the processes is high. We do not usually find low-quality products on the market (at a technical level).

But if we want good tomatoes, it is best to bet on small farms with direct sales and proximity. A key element to optimize the flavor of the tomato, whatever the variety, is let it mature in the bush. And that improves the flavor, yes: but it reduces its useful life.

Hence, it is also important to moderate our expectations. The tomato is a summer product and expecting a good experience out of season is unreasonable. Proximity, care and respect for rhythms are essential (although, consequently, they increase the price).

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that they try to deceive us. The best example is the tomato that is marketed on the vine. Bernat Martí, technician at the Huertos de Món Sant Benet, collaborator of the Alícia Foundation, explained in the Vanguard that “this very popular vine tomato was designed so that when picking it, the consumer would notice its aroma more [a menudo, huele más la rama que el mismo fruto]. But it is the same as the popular cheap tomato with the long life gene, although with a different aspect”.

That is, producers and sellers (above all, department stores) base their commercial strategy on use our preconceived ideas about tomatoes against ourselves. Size, brightness, color and firmness may seem to guarantee a good tomato, but in reality they are not guaranteeing anything.

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Image | Markus Spiske