Researcher Tasteless from the fridge - The tomato puzzle has been solved

Tomatoes lose their taste in the fridge. American scientists are now examining what happens chemically. They have found amazing things.

Flavor genes fall asleep
Harry Klee and his team from the University of Calfornia discovered the loss of taste in the genetic material: The information of genes that promote maturation, ebbs, if the fruits remain cooled for a long time. Therefore, the tomatoes pour out less flavorings.

Tomatoes unfold their aroma outside the refrigerator (Africa Studio / fotolia.com)

The aroma escapes
The flavors from the genes are therefore no longer available. Even more: Even existing flavorings escape in the first seven days after cold storage.

The study
76 subjects ate fresh tomatoes as well as fruits that had already been stored for seven days at 5 degrees Celsius. Conclusion: The participants tasted better the fresh tomatoes. Then the scientists measured the flavors, ie carbohydrates, acids and volatiles.

Old and new tomatoes
To expand the result, the researchers had the subjects each try an old tomato variety and a new breed. The result: Carbohydrates and acids were nearly equal in value; however, there were significant differences in volatiles.

production lock
The researchers studied 66 volatile substances, including Liptide and alcohols and substances that are important for the fruit to ripen. They focused on the gene transcriptions, RNA molecules that the tomato needs to make these volatiles.

These volatiles decreased by up to 65% after one week of refrigeration. Some climbed again when the tomatoes were brought to room temperature. Overall, however, the level did not increase to that of fresh tomatoes without cooling.

Short cooling is not a problem
However, when the tomatoes were stored at five degrees Celsius for only one to three days, the tradition of volatile substances began again after three days at the latest.

Taste in the fridge?
The Florida University is now experimenting to grow tomatoes whose genes continue to produce the volatiles despite cooling.

rot propagator
Tomatoes also produce the maturing gas ethylene. Eggplant, zucchini and peppers are "allergic", meaning that they rot faster. In any case, they should therefore be stored separately from tomatoes. However, as the other three vegetables do not lose their aroma in the refrigerator, it is advisable to chill them and preserve the tomatoes at room temperature.

Buy at the market
Consumers who do not want to wait until there are these cold-resistant tomatoes can easily make the case: they should not store the tomatoes in the refrigerator, and if so, then only for a day or two. At farmers markets, they can ask if these tomatoes were already chilled, which is pretty much the case in the supermarket.

The safest way is to plant your own tomatoes. Then you can also be sure that they do not contain pesticides. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)