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Research creates possibility
Researcher uses techniques to create dark pigment tomato high in anthocyanin levels
Theo Hendrickson
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News
The OSU horticulture department is processing its purple fruit tomato that will have high levels of antioxidants for health benefits.
OSU professor Jim Myers is using cross-breeding techniques to create a tomato with a dark pigment, similar to a blackberry. The purpose is to enhance the anthocyanin levels found mainly in blueberries and strawberries to help prevent diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. The tomatoes will also have resistances to fungi and microbial diseases by "taking known resistances and putting them into the same variety."
"When you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, particularly containing lots of flavonoids, you will see less heart disease, lower rate of diabetes and less cancer," Myers said.
Flavonoids are the "building blocks" for anthocyanin, in which it creates the pigmentation of the outer layer, similar to that in red wine. The Purple Cherokee Tomato is an example of a tomato that has a darker pigment, but it lacks the antioxidants that would benefit consumption.
The team took two different varieties from UC Davis, one known as LA 1996 and another known as LA 785, and cross-bred them to create the dark color. Both of the strains have very little visual representation of the dark pigment, but in spite of the lack in color, it creates the purple fruit tomato.
The taste is not overpowering or lacking to that of a normal red tomato, but due to the difference in color, it may have problems with the consumers, who are not used to eating a purple food. However, the early efforts were stunted when one of Myer's students claimed it had a very "inky" taste to it. Since then, the team has worked past that hurdle.
"It's excellent, because I don't think taste and pigment are not closely related," Myers said.
One of the difficulties in tomato growth is the late blight disease that destroys the leaves, stems, fruit and tubes of the plant.
"It occurs every year in people's gardens," Myers said. "Usually at the end of the season, you're almost guaranteed to have late blight come in."
OSU professor Jim Myers is using cross-breeding techniques to create a tomato with a dark pigment, similar to a blackberry. The purpose is to enhance the anthocyanin levels found mainly in blueberries and strawberries to help prevent diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. The tomatoes will also have resistances to fungi and microbial diseases by "taking known resistances and putting them into the same variety."
"When you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, particularly containing lots of flavonoids, you will see less heart disease, lower rate of diabetes and less cancer," Myers said.
Flavonoids are the "building blocks" for anthocyanin, in which it creates the pigmentation of the outer layer, similar to that in red wine. The Purple Cherokee Tomato is an example of a tomato that has a darker pigment, but it lacks the antioxidants that would benefit consumption.
The team took two different varieties from UC Davis, one known as LA 1996 and another known as LA 785, and cross-bred them to create the dark color. Both of the strains have very little visual representation of the dark pigment, but in spite of the lack in color, it creates the purple fruit tomato.
The taste is not overpowering or lacking to that of a normal red tomato, but due to the difference in color, it may have problems with the consumers, who are not used to eating a purple food. However, the early efforts were stunted when one of Myer's students claimed it had a very "inky" taste to it. Since then, the team has worked past that hurdle.
"It's excellent, because I don't think taste and pigment are not closely related," Myers said.
One of the difficulties in tomato growth is the late blight disease that destroys the leaves, stems, fruit and tubes of the plant.
"It occurs every year in people's gardens," Myers said. "Usually at the end of the season, you're almost guaranteed to have late blight come in."
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Heather Bass
posted 5/01/09 @ 6:48 PM PST
My grandmother was an expert tomato gardener and i think she would have delighted in trying this new variety. In the Silicon Valley natural and healthy is hip. (Continued…)
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