A truly tasty tomato is a wonderful thing. But most of the tomatoes you can buy from supermarkets—while red, ripe and perfect-looking—taste of practically nothing. For a long time, scientists thought the difference between a good and bad tomato was down to sugar and acid concentration, but actually there's more at play.
In fact, it's research from the 1960s which suggested the balance of sugar and acid was all that mattered. Now, a new study, carried out at the University of Florida, suggests that, while sugar or acid are important, what's crucial is the presence of subtle aromatic compounds. What's more, it turns out it that the blend of compounds required for a good-tasting tomato can't be judged by smell alone—and the most important aromatics are what's missing from most supermarket tomatoes.
To work that out, the scientists conducted a giant taste test involving 170 volunteers. The researchers grew 152 varieties of heirloom tomatoes—older, open-pollinated varieties that come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors—and also purchased standard tomatoes from a local supermarket.
So, supermarket tomatoes are the lite beer of the salad world—and now we know why. It's worth noting, however, that all types of basil actually contain geranial, which is presumably why the two team up so well. If you're desperate, then, a few leaves of the herb should be able to perk up even the worst of tomatoes.