Researchers Work to Restore the Long-Lost Flavor of Tomatoes

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New research reveals which genes are needed to reinstate the rich, original flavor of tomatoes, now absent in many grocery shelf varieties of this fruit. The results are published in the 27 January issue of Science.

New research reveals which genes are needed to reinstate the rich, original flavor of tomatoes, now absent in many grocery shelf varieties of this fruit. The results are published in the 27 January issue of Science.

Over the years, tomatoes have been selectively bred for qualities such as size and firmness for shipping purposes, while selection for flavor has been overlooked, causing many modern varieties to lose their original taste.

Taste may seem like a quality that farmers and consumers would want to maintain; however the complex nature of flavor makes it difficult to detect changes produced by selective breeding over relatively short periods of time.

Read more at American Association For The Advancement of Science

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