The tomato is the edible berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant. The species originated in western South America and Central America. The Nahuatl (the language used by the Aztecs) word tomatl gave rise to the Spanish word tomate, from which the English word tomato derived. Its domestication and use as a cultivated food may have originated with the indigenous peoples of Mexico. The Aztecs used tomatoes in their cooking at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and after the Spanish encountered the tomato for the first time after their contact with the Aztecs, they brought the plant to Europe. From there, the tomato was introduced to other parts of the European-colonized world during the 16th century.

Tomatoes are a significant source of umami flavor. The tomato is consumed in diverse ways, raw or cooked, in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. While tomatoes are fruits—botanically classified as berries—they are commonly used as a vegetable ingredient or side dish.

Numerous varieties of the tomato plant are widely grown in temperate climates across the world, with greenhouses allowing for the production of tomatoes throughout all seasons of the year. Tomato plants typically grow to 1–3 meters (3–10 ft) in height. They are vines that have a weak stem that sprawls and typically needs support. Indeterminate tomato plants are perennials in their native habitat, but are cultivated as annuals. (Determinate, or bush, plants are annuals that stop growing at a certain height and produce a crop all at once.) The size of the tomato varies according to the cultivar, with a range of 1–10 cm (1⁄2–4 in) in width.

Tomatoes are the most common non-starchy vegetable in American diets, and may play an important role in maintaining health and reducing risk of disease. Rich content of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, is understood to be at the root of the tomato's wholesomeness. Bioavailability of the antioxidant increases with the cooking and processing of tomatoes (an uncommon characteristic among plant foods). The consumption of tomatoes has been associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cognitive dysfunction, and skin damage caused by exposure to UV light.

Believe it or not, tomatoes double as both a fruit and a vegetable! Botanically, they are a fruit, but nutritionally they are included in the vegetable food group. In many parts of the country, the juiciest tomatoes can be found during the summer, when they are in season. Tomatoes are nutritious and versatile, as they are the basis for sauces, soups, salads, salsas, and other dishes, or delicious on their own!

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Tomatoes come in all different shapes, sizes, and varieties. They contain many nutrients, including fiber and potassium. Tomatoes also contain antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene.

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There are many different varieties of tomatoes (e.g. grape tomatoes, roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes), along with canned tomato products containing tomatoes that have been processed (e.g. canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce).

Tomatoes may pose a choking risk for children under the age of 4. Make sure to cut grape and cherry tomatoes into quarters and large tomato pieces into smaller slices no larger than ½ inch.

A Note About Tomatillos

Tomatillos have a similar name that translates to “little tomatoes,” however, they are not tomatoes and deserve to be recognized in a class of their own. They are a green- or purple-colored fruit native to Mexico. A distinguishing quality of tomatillos is the husk that houses the edible portion, along with their tart flavor. While tomatillos are a good source of vitamin C and potassium similar to tomatoes, they have a distinct nutrient content from tomatoes. Choose tomatillos that are hard with tightly fitting husks and no visible moisture or mold. Store tomatillos in the refrigerator in your vegetable drawer for 2-3 weeks.

Tips for Choosing, Preparing, and Using Tomatoes

Choosing fresh tomatoes: Look for tomatoes free of blemishes and soft spots and try smelling your tomato—ripe tomatoes are fragrant. Tomatoes should also be firm and heavy.

Choosing canned tomatoes:  When choosing canned tomatoes, avoid cans that are dented, leaking, or have a bulging lid. Also, look for canned products with no sodium added or check the sodium content.

Storage: Whole fresh tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used within 7 days after reaching ripeness. Pro tip: To accelerate ripening, place tomatoes in a brown paper bag and adding a banana or apple to the brown paper bag can help speed up the ripening process. On the other hand, if a tomato starts to overripen, you can place it in the fridge until you are ready to bring it back to room temperature for use. Be sure to give your tomatoes a good rinse before eating or slicing. Refrigerate sliced tomatoes and use within 3-4 days. Also, refrigerate unused portions of canned tomatoes in an airtight container and use within 5-7 days.

Did you know? Tomatoes can also be frozen! That’s right—you can preserve fresh tomatoes for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Preparing: Depending on the recipe, tomatoes may need to be peeled to be used in sauces and soups. In order to peel the tomatoes, carefully place tomatoes in boiling water for 15-30 seconds, then transfer to an ice cold water bath. Then, the skin should more easily slide off! To de-seed a tomato, cut the tomato in half lengthwise (from the stem end to the bottom) and use a spoon to gently scrape the seeds out and make a diagonal cut on either side of the stem to remove it. To slice a tomato, use a serrated paring knife.

Freezing: When tomatoes are in season, you can also freeze the peeled tomatoes in an air-tight container or freezer bag.

Uses: Tomatoes seem to have an endless number of uses. They are the stars in sauces, salsas, soups, and salads and can also add some pizzazz to sandwiches, pasta recipes, pizza, and leafy green-based salads. They can even be stuffed, grilled, roasted, or baked, and they add both sweetness and acidity to dishes. 

As you enjoy fresh produce, follow these safe handling tips to help protect yourself and your family.

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Your local markets carry a wide variety of nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables. However, harmful bacteria that may be in the soil or water where produce grows can come in contact with fruits and vegetables and contaminate them. Fresh produce may also become contaminated after it is harvested, such as during storage or preparation.

Eating contaminated produce can lead to foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning.” So as you enjoy fresh produce, follow these safe handling tips to help protect you and your family.

Buy Right

You can help keep produce safe by making wise buying decisions.

• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• When buying pre-cut, bagged or packaged produce — such as half of a watermelon or bagged salad greens — choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from raw meat, poultry, and seafood when packing them to take home from the market

Store Properly

Proper storage of fresh produce can affect both quality and safety.

• Store perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check! If you’re not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to keep its quality, ask your grocer.
• Refrigerate all produce that is purchased pre-cut or packaged .

Separate for Safety

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood — and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with soap and hot water between preparing raw meat, poultry, and seafood and preparing produce that will not be cooked.
• If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use

Prepare Safely

When preparing any fresh produce, begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after preparation.

• Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Throw away any produce that looks rotten.
• Wash all produce thoroughly under running water before preparing and/or eating, including produce grown at home or bought from a grocery store or farmers’ market. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended. Produce is porous. Soap and household detergents can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables, despite thorough rinsing, and can make you sick. Also, the safety of the residues of commercial produce washes is not known and their effectiveness has not been tested.
• Even if you do not plan to eat the skin, it is still important to wash produce first so dirt and bacteria are not transferred from the surface when peeling or cutting produce.
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• After washing, dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present on the surface

What About Pre-Washed Produce?

Many pre-cut, bagged, or packaged produce items are pre-washed and ready-to-eat. If so, it will be stated on the packaging, and you can use the produce without further washing.

If you choose to wash produce marked as “pre-washed” or “ready-to-eat,” be sure that it does not come in contact with unclean surfaces or utensils. This will help to avoid cross contamination.

About Foodborne Illness

Know the Symptoms

Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of foodborne illness can include:

• Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

Take Action

If you think that you or a family member has a foodborne illness, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

• There are more than 4,000 varieties of tomatoes ranging in size, shape, and color.

• Tomatoes are grown in every state in the United States.

• Tomatoes are also the most popular home-grown fruit or vegetable.

• From the Botanist (scientist that studies plants) point of view, the tomato is a fruit. In the 1893 U.S. Supreme Court case of “Nix v. Hedden,” the tomato was declared a vegetable, along with cucumbers, squashes, beans, and peas (all also botanically considered fruit.) This came about as a result of tariff laws in 1887, which imposed a duty on vegetables but not fruits.

• According to the USDA, Americans eat more than 22 pounds of tomatoes each year, more than half of this amount in the form of ketchup and/or tomato sauce.

• At first, tomatoes were used by our European ancestors as tabletop and ornamental plants, since they were widely believed to be poisonous (due to their belonging to the same family of the poisonous plant belladonna).

• Tomatoes are a source of vitamin K and potassium, a good source of vitamin C and A, and are rich in lycopene.

• Lycopene is an antioxidant that may decrease the risk of certain cancers and heart disease and also help to keep the immune system healthy. It cannot be produced in the body so it can only be obtained by eating lycopene-rich foods.

• Cooked tomato products, sauces, and juices contain higher amounts of lycopene than raw tomatoes due to greater concentration (i.e., it takes many cups of raw tomatoes to make one cup of tomato sauce, and thus the lycopene concentration is greater).