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Tomato samples were placed on plates and passed through
windows to panelists.
Panelists tasted under red lights to help prevent bias
based on tomato color.
“You know if it turns
out that heirlooms do have superior flavor or texture, I think people will
want to know that. If it turns out there is really no difference, I
think some of the commercial growers will want to know that, too.”
Rick Durham
UK Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist
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By Aimee Nielson
LEXINGTON, Ky., (Sept. 14, 2005) – More than 80 people volunteered to taste 18
varieties of tomatoes for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
They sat in a room illuminated by red lights so the color of the tomatoes would
not affect their opinion before their taste buds got involved.
Rick Durham, Extension consumer horticulture specialist, along with Clair Hicks,
UK College of Agriculture food scientist, conducted tomato taste panels over a
two-week period. They included heirloom varieties and modern, or commercial,
varieties. Taste panels were comprised of UK faculty, staff, students, Master
Gardeners and other tomato lovers.
“A lot of people have the notion that heirloom tomatoes have better flavor than
modern tomatoes,” Durham said. “Some people think that the breeding and
development of modern tomatoes may be better for transportation and packaging,
that maybe there has been some compromise in flavor and texture issues. Whether
that is true or not is anecdotal, nobody really knows for sure.”
Durham hopes that the results of the taste panels will help scientists know if
heirloom varieties actually do have a higher quality of taste and texture, but
it will take two or three years of data to make that determination.
Panelists were offered incentives to participate, including a pound of free
tomatoes from the UK South Farm’s tomato harvest. Students of Durham’s
Introduction to Plant Identification were given bonus points to participate, or
if they didn’t like tomatoes, they could send someone in their place and still
receive the points.
“I think it’s going to give the people here at UK a more generalized idea of
what people really like,” said Brian Fallis, UK College of Agriculture junior.
“An idea of what people desire, what are going to be the good ones to grow
maybe.”
“I think seeing the lights and how they had it set up without bias is
interesting to know about,” said Chlodys Johnstone, UK College of Agriculture
freshman. “It’s interesting to learn about different consumer testing and how
they do the screenings.”
Master Gardner and UK Sociology Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences
Joanna Badagliacco participated in the taste panel and said the results could
help her decide what to plant in her own garden.
“I eat tomatoes all the time, I try to grow tomatoes with some success and I
really love them,” she said, admitting she has a bias towards deep red tomatoes.
“I’m Italian so it’s a basis for almost every meal that I have (dinner meals).”
She said the lighting was good for her because of her bias. “It may show me that
other colors are just as good,” she said.
Durham said the results won’t really change what the college plants at South
Farm, but they could help farmers selling their produce at farmers’ markets. If
the results show that many consumers prefer a particular variety, they could
plant more to increase sales and satisfy their customers, he said.
“You know if it turns out that heirlooms do have superior flavor or texture, I
think people will want to know that,” Durham added. “If it turns out there is
really no difference, I think some of the commercial growers will want to know
that, too.”
Writer:
Aimee Nielson
859-257-4736, ext. 267
Contact: Rick Durham
859-257-3249
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