UF Study: Consumers Like Shelved Tomato Juice More Than a Refrigerated Product
Tempted by the tangy taste of tomato juice? Consumers may prefer a product sold from grocery store shelves over a minimally pasteurized refrigerated product, but only by a small margin, new University of Florida research shows.
UF Scientist Works on Improving Tomato Production, Size
Florida growers produced 606 million pounds of fresh-market tomatoes last year, which brought in $463 million in revenue. But with competition from places like Mexico, farmers are always looking for an edge – to grow more and bigger fruit. That’s why University of Florida scientist Tong Geon Lee spends countless hours in his lab and fields looking for the right combination of genes to expand the size of individual tomatoes and to help growers increase their yields.
Gardeners Can Help UF Tomato Breeding Program With Growth, Flavor Data
Normally, University of Florida scientists such as Harry Klee gauge the taste and aroma of their new tomatoes by letting volunteers test them at the UF Sensory Lab in Gainesville. But now, people from across the globe who grow tomatoes in their gardens can serve as citizen scientists and send flavor and growing data to Klee.
Heat Brings Out Antioxidants, Increases Red in Tomatoes
Turn up the heat, and get more nutrition from your tomato, University of Florida researchers say. Furthermore, when you buy a tomato, it will be about as red as it can be, thanks to the UF/IFAS methods deployed for the study.
