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A favorite at
the dinner table
PamphletbyEmbrapaVegetablesandEmaterfromtheFederalDistrict
givestipstoBrazilianpeopleonhowtobuy, preserveandconsumetomatoes
The tomato is one of the most con-
sumed vegetables in the world. In Brazil,
the fruit is equally a mandatory item in the
staple basket of the population, whether
processed or fresh. The popularity of the
tomato has induced Embrapa and Emater
from the Federal District to prepare specif-
ic literature for the consumers, featuring
tips on how to buy, preserve and consume
tomatoes, including recipes for sweet and
salty foods. This practical guideline was
devised by researchers of the institutions
and by technicians in domestic economy.
One of the topics in question is about
long-life tomatoes with a longer post-har-
vest life cycle. In the supermarkets, they
look like any other tomato, but if mature
and red, they continue firm for longer
periods. In some places, consumers can
still find cherry tomatoes and Santa Cruz
group tomatoes, predominantly yellow.
“Color, firmness and sanity are the most
important characteristics when it comes to
buying the fruit, and are determining fac-
tors if the idea is to preserve them for lon-
ger periods at home”, explains researcher
Rita Luengo, from Embrapa Vegetables.
If totally red, tomatoes are ideal for im-
mediate consumption or for sauces. Ideal-
ly, green tomatoes should not be bought,
which also holds true for defective, spot-
ted and damaged fruit. When it comes to
choosing the fruit, squeezing and drop-
ping it on the shelf should be avoided,
thus preventing it from going bad. When
the intention is to preserve it, buyers
should pay heed to the fact that tomatoes
do not last long outside the fridge. “If the
fruit is not yet entirely ripe, it should be
kept in the natural environment, until it is
fully ripe, as its aroma and flavor may wane
in the refrigerator”, he explains.
Another important topic has to do with
raw tomatoes, either whole or sliced, they
should never be frozen – only tomato sauce
can receive this treatment. Domestic econo-
my technician Maria José Matos, from Ema-
ter-DF, makes everything clear about the
consumption of this versatile vegetable. The
fruit can be the basis for salads, purées, sauc-
es, sweets, jellies or juices. “Ripe tomatoes
should always be preferred to fruits in the
process of maturing, because the latter are
deficient in nutritive value”, she says.
Italian and persimmon-like tomatoes are
the most recommended for salads, whilst
the Santa Cruz type, also known as sal-
adinha, yields better results in other prepa-
rations. Cherry tomatoes do not need to be
sliced and can be served as appetizers or in
salads. The extension worker warns that if
the fruit is consumed fresh, especially with
its skin, it is very important to wash it care-
fully, with running or hygienized water, ap-
propriate for disinfecting vegetables. This
treatment, as well as the use of vinegar, does
not remove any pesticide residue, but elim-
inates microorganisms from the skin, that
could pose health problems.
TIPS
*Tomake it easier to peel tomatoes, it is recommended to spear themon a fork and hold themon a fire, froma certain distance.
Then the fork should be turned around smoothly until the peel comes off.
* If the tomatoes are soft, they should be dipped in cold water for 15 minutes. They will get harder and easier to cut.
* Embrapa site:
features several recipes for tomato based dishes.
