Science discovers why homegrown tomatoes are better than supermarket ones
Associated Press June 29, 2012 9:18AM
Using genetics, scientists have discovered why homegrown tomatoes taste so much sweeter than the ones in the supermarket. Researchers found a genetic switch responsible for some of the sugar production within a tomato. A study in the June 29, 2012, issue
Updated: June 29, 2012 9:22AM
Scientists have discovered why homegrown tomatoes taste so much sweeter than the ones you find in the supermarket. The type of tomato typically found at supermarkets — bred for firmness and good shipping — also inadvertently turns off a genetic switch responsible for some of the sugar production within a tomato, according to research published Friday in the journal Science. And that makes supermarket tomatoes less sweet and blander than garden varieties, according to University of California Davis plant scientist Ann Powell, who did the study. Powell said knowing the genetics behind the sugar-making could someday lead to the development of sweeter tomatoes that also travel well.
