New Tasti-Lee for Sweet Tomato Lovers
By Michelle Fabio
Who says that there are already enough tomato varieties to please everyone?
If you’re someone who loves a sweet, deep red tomato, researchers at the University of Florida had you in mind when they came up with the brand new Tasti-Lee.
The new tomato has high levels of sugar as well as red pigment, which the tomato breeders say means the Tasti-Lee provides more antioxidants than your average tomato. Red-colored lycopene is reportedly nature’s most powerful nutritional antioxidant, which means that it reduces the amount of damage done to body cells by oxygen—damage that can eventually lead to cancers, heart disease, and other illnesses.
Dr. Jay Scott, a member of the research team, has stated that he’s “never had a tomato be so consistent like the ‘Tasti-Lee’ and that’s really the strength of the tomato. It’s almost always significantly better than the standard tomatoes which it is compared to.”
As of this writing, there’s no word on when the Tasti-Lee will be available to the general public.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:22 am
I just read another post about tomatoes … Tasti-Lee sounds delicious.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I agree Kate; I’d be interested in trying these.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Tasti-Lee™ (’Fla. 8153′) Tomato Hybrid
Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP) is now accepting proposals for an exclusive license on ‘Fla. 8153,’ a fresh market tomato hybrid to be marketed and sold under the brand name Tasti-Lee™. Tasti-Lee™ was developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES), an agricultural and natural resource research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), in the tomato breeding program under the direction of Dr. J.W. Scott. Tasti-Lee™ is a fresh market tomato hybrid for the premium tomato market with high lycopene content and an attractive, deep red color. Tasti-Lee™ has been extensively tested in seven sensory panels where is has always been in the most preferred group for overall flavor. For more information about this tomato hybrid, including a description, trial and panel data, and photos, please visit http://ffsp.net/resources/itn0802announceack.pdf
All interested companies are encouraged to apply through the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) process. In order to apply, you must first complete and fax the Acknowledgement Form to Mr. John Beuttenmuller at Fax # 352-392-4965. You will find the Acknowledgment Form on the last page of the packet found here. After FFSP has received the Acknowledgment Form, your company will be sent a questionnaire to fill out and submit as your proposal.
All proposals must be received by FFSP before 5pm EST on Friday, April 4, 2008. Proposals received after this time will not be accepted or considered.
For further details on ITN #08-02 contact:
FLORIDA FOUNDATION SEED PRODUCERS, INC.
C/O John Beuttenmuller, Tasti-Lee™ (‘Fla. 8153’) ITN Coordinator
1022 McCarty Hall D
PO Box 110200
Gainesville, FL 32611-0200
Phone: (352) 392-9446
Fax: (352) 392-4965