cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
My tomato looks like an alien, is it safe to eat? - Orange County Register
Q: I recently bought tomatoes that were still on the vine and brought them home. After a few days, I noticed what looked like little worms growing out through the skin. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the seeds must have sprouted while still inside the fruit. What causes this? Is the tomato still safe to eat?
A: This phenomenon is called vivipary, which translates literally to “live birth.” Seeds will often begin to germinate while still inside ripe fruit. Chemical changes occur within overripe fruit that cause seeds to come out of dormancy and germinate.
Tomatoes that have been stored at 55 degrees or lower are especially susceptible to vivipary. Other contributing factors include potassium deficiency, excess nitrogen fertilization, moisture, and a drop in abscisic acid.
Although it looks kind of creepy (remember the movie “Alien”?), the tomato is safe to eat.
Q: I recently bought tomatoes that were still on the vine and brought them home. After a few days, I noticed what looked like little worms growing out through the skin. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the seeds must have sprouted while still inside the fruit. What causes this? Is the tomato still safe to eat?
A: This phenomenon is called vivipary, which translates literally to “live birth.” Seeds will often begin to germinate while still inside ripe fruit. Chemical changes occur within overripe fruit that cause seeds to come out of dormancy and germinate.
Tomatoes that have been stored at 55 degrees or lower are especially susceptible to vivipary. Other contributing factors include potassium deficiency, excess nitrogen fertilization, moisture, and a drop in abscisic acid.
Although it looks kind of creepy (remember the movie “Alien”?), the tomato is safe to eat.