The Big Purple Tomato

[SavoryAcres]

21752AC1-0397-4F4F-983F-A0384605BA88.jpeg

Norfolk Plant Sciences has engineered a high anthocyanin tomato with dark purple flesh. They’ve done this by adding three genes from snapdragons to switch on the antho expression. They’re calling it the “Big Purple Tomato” — although it seems like hardly a saladette size IMO. It’s recently received USDA approval to be grown without regulation and seeds will be available to home growers in the not too distant future. What do you think, would you grow it? I’m more curious about the flavor than anything, they say on their instagram that it tastes just the same as a regular tomato.

https://www.bigpurpletomato.com/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsr ... ple-tomato

[Paulf]

Of the several purples available I have tried a few...and none will find space in my gardens. Spitters all.

[Mark_Thompson]

Of the several purples available I have tried a few...and none will find space in my gardens. Spitters all.

But were any of those GMO?

[rxkeith]

i will pass.

if i want anthocyanins in my diet, i can grab some wild blueberries out of the freezer, or eat some purple potatoes.
no interest, in a GMO food source. it isn't necessary.



keith

[pepperhead212]

The "black" tomatoes that I grew, about as dark as that thing, were both spitters, so even if not GMOs, I wouldn't try them. The lighter ones were not bad, but still not things I tried again, due to splitting, and other problems.

[Paulf]

Of the several purples available I have tried a few...and none will find space in my gardens. Spitters all.

But were any of those GMO?

Not being anti-GMO, it didn't really matter...a bad tasting tomato still tastes bad and they will not even be a choice. Too many tomatoes that have pleasing flavor yet to be tried before my long sleep. 500+ down a few thousand non-blue/purple to go.

[Mark_Thompson]

@Paulf
Not against GMO myself, given all the technology these folks have I would hope that they designed a great tasting fruit.

[Moth1992]

If it tastes good and its open source, sure why not. But otherwise the antho is not a reason i care about.

[WoodSprite]

I would not grow it or eat it. My view is the same as rxkeith's view.

[Tormahto]

I'm not gonna try it...



I've only tried two anthos with decent flavor, Sgt Peppers and Rebel Starfighter Prime, both hearts. Hopefully there are some breeders working on more antho hearts.

[MissS]

I'm not gonna try it...



I've only tried two anthos with decent flavor, Sgt Peppers and Rebel Starfighter Prime, both hearts. Hopefully there are some breeders working on more antho hearts.

I believe that @KarenO is working on one.

[karstopography]

Sure, I’d try it.

These anthocyanins seem to have a flavor all their own. We noticed when we grew blood oranges (before the 15°freeze of 2021 wiped out the grove) that the ones with more anthocyanin pigments tasted different than the ones with less, same tree, same season, same day and same degree of ripeness. Moro Blood orange anthocyanins form under certain environmental conditions, cold nights relatively early in the fall into early winter stimulated the process, but, anyway, the darker, more anthocyanins rich fruits took on definite raspberry flavor overtones. Deeply pigmented Californian grown Moro Blood Oranges taste more like raspberries to me than an orange. I preferred the moderately pigmented blood oranges that had just a hint of raspberry flavor. The moderately pigmented blood oranges had an agreeable brightness that tended to diminish as the pigment levels increased. Deeply pigmented Blood Oranges like the store bought California versions do not have not enough pleasant acidity for my tastes. Ripe blood oranges with zero or next to zero anthocyanins pigment tasted like ordinary oranges.

But, I enjoy dark tomatoes as a rule so maybe I might like the one with purple insides or maybe it would be too much of a good thing, but it’s worth a looksie.

[DriftlessRoots]

Totally going to try it if I can find/afford one.

[Sue_CT]

I would try it out of curiosity. Not going to grow anything that can't beat what I already grow for taste. That, after all, is why I grow them. But I would put one in a pot for one year and see what happened. Unless you are very diligent, which I am not, chances are you are already eating GMO produce or products made from them..

[pepperhead212]

Unless you are very diligent, which I am not, chances are you are already eating GMO produce or products made from them..

Oh, for sure! Corn and/or soy in most processed foods, and who doesn't eat wheat, other than people who can't have gluten in their diets, and then there's the replacements - often including cornstarch. But, if you're careful, you can buy "non-gmo" water, if you buy your water!

[Tormahto]

I would try it out of curiosity. Not going to grow anything that can't beat what I already grow for taste. That, after all, is why I grow them. But I would put one in a pot for one year and see what happened. Unless you are very diligent, which I am not, chances are you are already eating GMO produce or products made from them..

The latest GMO push is sugar, as in sugar beets. It went from 0% GMO to 98% of sugar beets grown, in but a few years.

[Sue_CT]

Wow, that is a fast takeover of an entire food!

[pepperhead212]

That's why so many things brag about using only cane sugar! Like that's a super-nutritious food!