P. M. BRIEFING : Study Promises Long-Lived Tomato
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The study of an obscure wild Brazilian tomato has led scientists to the discovery of a treatment that doubles the keeping time of some commercially grown tomatoes.
The nation’s $1-billion fresh tomato industry could realize dramatic benefits from the new process, said Peter J. Davies, a plant physiology professor at Cornell University.
The Cornell treatment process increases the shelf-life of vine-ripened tomatoes to 10 to 12 days, said David M. Law, a research associate on the project.
The method involves increasing the level of a chemical compound, called 1,4 butanediamine, already found naturally in the tomato. The process is now being tested by a food company to determine whether it is viable on a large scale.
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