Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator will actually help them stay fresh for a longer period of time.
But there is also a downside: the cold will deprive the fruits of their characteristic tomato flavor.
Why Tomatoes Lose Flavor When They Are Refrigerated
Tomatoes owe their flavor to a combination of sugars, acids, and a set of chemicals that scientists call volatile or aromatic compounds.
They are what give the special taste to products. Sugars and acids are what we feel on the tongue, but without aromatic compounds, the taste of tomatoes would be incomplete.
Results from a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that at temperatures below 20 degrees, the genes responsible for giving tomatoes their flavor are switched off.
These changes, unfortunately, are irreversible.
Experiments showed that tomatoes that were refrigerated for seven days had the lowest amount of volatile compounds. Moreover, the reduction in aromatic compounds occurred even after three days of refrigeration.
During the tasting, participants rated the chilled tomatoes as less tasty than the fresh ones.
Further research has shown that chilled tomatoes contain fewer proteins responsible for the formation of aromatic compounds than fresh fruits.
The analysis revealed that the genes encoding these aromatic compounds are switched off through a process called methylation when tomatoes are kept in a cool environment for too long.
Earlier we talked about what you shouldn’t eat cheese with.
