How can you tell if a tomato has been artificially ripened? What are the harms of eating one?

The tomato, also known as the love apple, is a vegetable that can be eaten both raw and cooked, and it is very popular in the market. But as growing techniques keep improving, many vegetables are now ripened with hormones, and tomatoes are no exception. So how can you tell if a tomato has been artificially ripened? What are the harms of eating one?

I. Introduction to tomatoes:

1. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

From a botanical point of view, the tomato is a fruit, but there is not much scientific basis for the distinction between fruits and vegetables, so the tomato is both a vegetable and a fruit. If it is cooked into a dish or eaten as a cold salad, it is a vegetable; if it is blended into juice or eaten directly, it is a fruit.

2. What types of tomatoes are there?

There are many types of tomatoes. By category, they can be divided into hybrid varieties and conventional varieties; by fruit color, they can be divided into pink-fruited varieties, red-fruited varieties, yellow-fruited varieties, green-fruited varieties, purple varieties, multi-colored varieties, and so on; by fruit size, they can be divided into large-fruited varieties, medium-fruited varieties, cherry varieties, and so on. Different classifications give different types.

II. How can you tell if a tomato has been artificially ripened?

Artificially ripened tomatoes and naturally ripened tomatoes do not look very different on the outside, but they can be identified by the following methods:

Method 1: Touch it with your hand

A naturally ripened tomato feels soft when squeezed, as if the juice is about to leak out, while an artificially ripened tomato feels very hard no matter what variety it is.

Method 2: Check whether the skin color is dull

A naturally ripened tomato has glossy skin, an uneven distribution of color on the surface, and an overall smooth, round shape, with some green still at the stem end. If it is a yellow variety, it is bright yellow; if it is a red variety, it is bright red. An artificially ripened tomato, however, has dull skin, an even distribution of color on the surface, and a varied shape, some square and some round, and it is somewhat larger than a natural one; on some, a pointed tip like that of a peach appears at the top.

Method 3: Taste it

A naturally ripened tomato tastes sweet and sour and feels a little mealy, the flesh inside is red, the seeds are earth-yellow, and the juice is especially plentiful. An artificially ripened tomato tastes astringent and is hollow inside; some have almost no seeds, and it certainly does not have a mealy texture.

III. What are the harms of artificially ripened tomatoes?

Artificially ripened tomatoes are mostly ripened with growth hormones. After children and adolescents eat them, it has a great impact on their physical development; over time it stimulates the development of their gonads, causing some children to show symptoms of early puberty. In women, it can cause symptoms of endocrine disruption and sometimes trigger gynecological diseases, so they should still be eaten with caution.

Generally speaking, if a tomato is ripened with ethylene, there is no need to worry; it is safe to eat, because it evaporates under natural conditions, so safety can be guaranteed.

In general, artificially ripened tomatoes can be identified by feel, appearance, and taste. If you buy one by mistake, it is best not to eat it, to avoid discomfort to children or women who eat it. If you buy unripe tomatoes, you can leave them for a few days before eating.