Tomatoes get flavor boost from green bin compost
Commercially farmed tomatoes taste sweeter when food and garden waste compost is added to their soil, a University of Queensland study has found. Researchers in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability grew tomatoes in southeast Queensland with and without the compost and put the resulting crops through chemical and sensory analysis.
A University of Queensland study discovered that adding food and garden waste compost to the soil of tomatoes grown commercially makes them taste sweeter, according to a newspaper report. Researchers tested tomatoes grown with and without the compost, analyzing their chemical properties and sensory qualities. Dr. Nicole Robinson, the lead researcher, stated that the findings provide evidence that FOGO compost enhances food quality.
The research, published in the npj Science of Food journal, involved blind taste tests of tomatoes at five days after picking and after an additional week of storage. The results showed that FOGO tomatoes were rated sweeter and had a more pleasant aroma than control tomatoes, which were described as bland and lacking in aroma. Chemical analysis revealed that FOGO tomatoes had higher sugar content and lower malic acid, contributing to their improved flavor profile.
The study also found that FOGO tomatoes had increased levels of amino acids associated with savory or umami tastes after storage. While there were no differences in yield or harvest appearance, the study suggests that incorporating FOGO compost in food production aligns with Australia's National Food Waste Strategy, providing an environmental and economic benefit by reducing landfill waste and creating better-tasting, more visually appealing tomatoes for consumers.
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