Fruits that continue to ripen after harvest are called climacteric. They produce high amounts of ethylene gas and continue to sweeten through the ripening process. Climacteric fruits common to eastern Idaho include tomato, cantaloupe, apple, quince, pear, plum, nectarine and peach. These can be picked once they have started to ripen and will produce fruit as sweet as if it had been completely ripened on the vine.
Fruits that stop ripening once picked are called non-climacteric. They produce low amounts of ethylene gas and the flavor does not sweeten over time. Non-climacteric fruits common to eastern Idaho include blackberry, raspberry, cherry, cucumber, eggplant, grape, pepper (sweet and hot peppers), pumpkin, squash (summer and winter), strawberry, sweet corn and watermelon. These must be picked when they are at the desired stage of ripeness.
Let’s apply the above knowledge to harvesting tomatoes. Tomatoes stay green until fully mature. The size of the green tomato is determined by genetics and the number of seeds in the fruit. The fully mature fruit stops growing and begins to produce ethylene gas, which causes the flesh to sweeten and change color. When the blossom end of the tomato just starts to turn from solid green to a blush color it is called a “breaker”.
In commercial production breakers are considered vine ripe tomatoes. They still hold their firmness during shipping and then are finished when close to their destination. When breakers are finished off the vine their flavor will be as good as if it had been finished on the vine.
Many tomatoes purchased in the store are not vine ripe tomatoes. They are harvested green and shipped to somewhere close to their end destination. These tomatoes are forced to change color when exposed to large amounts of ethylene gas. They have the color but not the flavor of a vine ripe tomato.
Most store tomatoes are selected for long shelf life first and flavor second. The flavor of store-bought vine ripened tomatoes has nothing to do with the ripening process. I used to grow a cultivar based on shelf life and looks. It was a beautiful tomato (won the judge’s choice at the county fair), but even when totally ripened while still on the plant, it tasted terrible.
The advantages to finishing breaker tomatoes off the vine include:
- They are less likely to have radial or concentric cracks. When the fruit is fully mature the skin toughens. Additional moisture entering the mature fruit can cause the skin to crack.
- They are less likely to get sunscald. Intense sunlight, combined with high temperatures, causes a yellow or white spot on the side facing the hot sun. This spot does not color or ripen correctly and the texture and flavor is less than desirable.
- They are less likely to have bird or insect damage.
One advantage to harvesting when fully ripe is they don’t take up counter space while ripening.
Breakers are easy to ripen. You can just put them in a bowl on the counter. They don’t need sunlight, just warm temperatures. Ethylene gas is lighter than air so putting tomatoes in a paper bag will speed up the ripening process.
Those who grow tomatoes for market say that it is best to leave cherry tomatoes on the vine until they are about 70 percent ripe. Enjoy your “vine ripened” tomatoes.
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July 31, 2023 at 06:00AM
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Timing is everything when picking tomatoes - East Idaho News
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