Chinese scientists find new method to sweeten tomatoes

BEIJING -- Many people share a nostalgia for the rich, classic flavor of tomatoes from their childhood. This longing is largely due to modern breeding techniques that prioritize high yields, often at the expense of the genetic factors that contribute to a tomato's taste.

However, a Chinese team has found a way to genetically release the tomato's sugar brake without sacrificing yield. This exciting development means that sweeter and juicier tomatoes may soon be making a comeback in supermarkets.

The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences conducted taste tests on over 100 varieties of tomatoes and identified 33 flavor compounds that affect consumer preferences.

Then, they analyzed the content of these flavor compounds in more than 400 tomato samples from around the world and conducted genomic sequencing. This led to the discovery of 49 genes that influence flavor, including two that regulate sugar content.

By simply knocking out two genes, the glucose levels in the fruits saw an increase of up to 30 percent. This modification could also have a similar effect on the glucose and fructose levels of mass-produced tomatoes. As a result, suppliers can sell sweeter tomatoes without having to worry about a decrease in fruit weight or yield, according to the study published in the journal Nature this week.

The result raises the possibility of "using the great genetic diversity existing in wild species, which has been partially lost in domesticated varieties, to improve modern varieties," commented Christophe Rothan, a fruit biologist at the French National Institute of Agricultural Research, in a viewpoint article.

It is also an important step forward in "understanding how fruits produce and store sugar," according to the article.