Tomatoes from a grocery store are never quite the same as ones that were locally grown or from a garden. The culprit seems to be refrigeration--tomatoes stored in the fridge begin to lose their flavor. Thanks to a brand new study, scientists now know exactly what's going on and how to prevent this problem.
In an experiment that was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers kept tomatoes at cool temperatures to study the molecular effects. They found that when tomatoes were kept below 54° F, the fruits began to lose chemicals that normally contribute to taste and aroma. Genes that produce these chemicals were shut off in cold temperatures and became so damaged that they didn't reactivate when the tomatoes were warmed. Interestingly, this only happened when the tomatoes were refrigerated for a week or more. Keeping them in the fridge for a couple of days had no negative effects.
The takeaway? If you pick tomatoes from the garden or buy locally, don't destroy the flavors by refrigerating them. Instead, store them on your countertop or in a cabinet. If you must stick tomatoes in the fridge, don't leave them there for more than a couple of days. Unfortunately, grocery store tomatoes are probably beyond help but there is some good news. Scientists believe that the study's findings could lead to the development of new varieties that don't lose flavor when refrigerated.
The takeaway? If you pick tomatoes from the garden or buy locally, don't destroy the flavors by refrigerating them. Instead, store them on your countertop or in a cabinet. If you must stick tomatoes in the fridge, don't leave them there for more than a couple of days. Unfortunately, grocery store tomatoes are probably beyond help but there is some good news. Scientists believe that the study's findings could lead to the development of new varieties that don't lose flavor when refrigerated.
