|
Tomatoes are a good source of potassium and Vitamin A,
Vitamin C and Lycopene, a wonderful substance thought to
protect against Prostate Cancer. One large raw tomato has
about 45-50 calories, and no fat. Beef Steak can be as large
as 2 lbs, but most are about 3 inches across.
Buy the best quality tomatoes. Verify the condition, color, quantity and size of your tomatoes when they arrive to ensure they are consistent with
what you ordered. Remember, weather may impact availability and condition of the fruit.
Tomatoes come in various colors and pack sizes:
Check the pulp temperature of a sample with a thermometer to verify the transport and storage temperature was no
lower than 55 F.
Remove any tomatoes that show signs of decay. Decay spreads and can destroy not just one tomato, but the entire
box.
Look for bright shiny skins and firm flesh, regardless of degree of ripeness. Ripen
unripe tomatoes at 58-65 F and 85-95% relative humidity. Keep out of direct sunlight. For accelerated
ripening, stack boxes together on a pallet. Inspect tomatoes daily during ripening and store in an area with
moderate air circulation. Do not refrigerate tomatoes.
Store ripe tomatoes at 55-60 F and 85-95% relative humidity. For best quality, ripe tomatoes should not be
refrigerated below 55 F. Temperatures below 50 F retard color development and destroy tomato flavor and texture.
If you must keep tomatoes in a cooler, wrap them in thermal blankets and store near cooler door to reduce
possibility of damage from cold.
Store tomatoes stem up to preserve quality.
At proper temperatures, a stage 5 tomato will keep for up to five days.
The Tomato link located here is one of the most
comprehensive and helpful: http://www.tomato.org/
These two links are fun and funky: http://www.njtomato.com/index.html
http://members.aol.com/rbi82/randy/tomato.html
|
