TC Reader Question: What Makes a Tomato Mushy?
By Vanessa Richins
What an interesting question!
Here are three reasons why tomatoes might be mushy.
The first has to do with genetics. Some varieties, especially some of the heirlooms, are just naturally mushy. For example, a Mr. Eliason in Northford, NY grows a variety that “was rediscovered about 25 years ago, in the mountains of Kentucky.
It grows to enormous size, and the skin is so tender it couldn’t possibly be sold. When I give them away, people always say they are the best tomatoes they ever ate.” You rarely find these in the store as they would not be able to be shipped and survive.
Next, it might have something to do with the growing environment. To understand this, we should first examine the basic structure of a tomato. Did you know that tomatoes are about 95% water? The cell wall structure of the tomato is what holds it all together.
If temperatures are too cold (after all, the tomato likes the heat, having originated in South America), the cell wall structure will break down, resulting in a mushy tomato. If you think you may have a cold spell, be sure to protect your tomato plants with a covering such as a sheet, plastic or newspaper.
This leads to a third possible reason : improper storage. Since tomatoes like the heat, you should avoid placing them in the refrigerator. Incidentally, storing them in the refrigerator also causes one of the flavor chemicals in tomatoes to disappear. You can just place them in a basket on the counter, making sure the stem end is the one that is up.
So there you have it…three reasons why you can end up with a mushy tomato. Protect them from the cold and you should see a big reduction in the number of mushy tomatoes you have.
July 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
[...] At Tomato Casual, Vanessa Richins recently offered some answers to a reader’s question: What makes a tomato mushy? [...]
July 5th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I either pick mine or by them from a local farmer and put them in a bowl on the table. They never go in the fridge.