Tomato flavor

[bobm]

Scientists in U of Florida, Cornell University and China report their findings in a paper released Monday in Proceedings ... After 7 days of storage at 39*, tomatoes lost some of their supply of substances that produce their characteristic aroma, which is a key part of their flavor. 3 days of sitting at room temperature didn't remedy the loss of flavor. Cooling tomatoes below 54* stops them from making some of the substances that contribute to their flavor according to the scientists who dug into the genetic roots of the problem. Further research showed that the prolonged chilling reduced the activity of certain genes that make those compounds. The scientists are now looking into the possibility of breeding tomatoes that don't lose flavor in the cold. This past Sunday , friends from near Tacoma, Wa. brought us a few just picked tomatoes , just as they left their home, vine ripened tomatoes from their own garden that they rave as their best tasting tomatoes. Their temperatures have been below 54* for over a week. We had them for dinner that evening ... we just looked at each other and said " what flavor ... they taste no better than store bought ones ". So, PROOF POSITIVE as to the validity of the scientists research results !

 

[so lucky]

I saw that article too. So that leads me to wonder if storing at ...say 56 degrees...would increase storage life and keep the flavor.
I hate that it will probably be a gmo that some day manages to perfect the storage/taste issue. Oh well.

 

[digitS']

When I delivered flowers for the soopermarkets out of the area, it was often to their produce warehouses and they would deliver to distant towns. This was kinda fun for me, backing up a 3/4 ton van beside the 18-wheelers and carrying in a box, or two .

Anyway, I would have to check in at the office. It was usually sited right in the middle of 10's of thousands of square feet of cold storage. A few rooms with warmer temperatures ... that's where the tomatoes were. I came to associate my interaction with these people with the stacks of tomatoes. All sharing a common warmth !

Today, I picked the 2 tomatoes I found undamaged and right against the garden soil. Everything around them in the tomato patch had been killed by freezing and is in some state of decay. I wasn't planning on using those 2 tomatoes fresh. Other tomatoes rescued from the frost are changing from green to ripe. I don't expect any of them to have much flavor. Oh, well ... soup or pasta sauce.

Steve
Edit: and salsa! basil is dead but i've got so much cilantro out in the corn patch ... and, dill - for soup !