Bitter Taste Only in Specific Variety of Cherry Tomatoes... Entire Batch Disposed

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 13th that it has completed the disposal of specific tomato varieties in which bitter components were detected. Including three cherry tomato farms that had a causal relationship with food poisoning-like symptoms, all farms cultivating the specific variety (HS2106 variety, brand name ‘TY All-Star’) confirmed additionally through local governments (20 farms in total) voluntarily participated in the disposal to protect public health.

Since the 31st of last month, the government imposed a temporary shipment restriction on farms cultivating the variety and conducted a comparative analysis between three commonly cultivated general cherry tomato varieties and the specific variety to examine whether the cause of the bitterness was limited to the specific variety or a phenomenon occurring generally in tomatoes due to the drop in winter temperatures.

As a result, bitter components were not detected in general tomatoes. It was confirmed that only the specific variety showed high levels of ‘Rycoperoside C,’ a glycoalkaloid similar to tomatine.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, “Based on the analysis results, we were able to dispel misunderstandings that low winter temperatures could cause bitterness in general tomatoes, and confirmed that the bitterness issue is limited to the specific variety.”

With the cause of the bitter tomatoes resolved, the Ministry plans to promote public consumption to support general tomato farmers who are suffering from reduced demand. Along with actively promoting the beneficial health functions of tomatoes, a special discount event will be held through the NongHyup and others from mid-April to early May, the peak season for cherry tomatoes.

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