Tomatoes ripened with ethepholor have poor color and taste
Introduction: Watermelon expanders, banana ripening agents, jelly colorants... a series of events have made the public unable to ignore food safety. Recently, ethepholor, a ripening agent for tomatoes, has also been exposed. Is it harmful to the human body? How can we identify artificially ripened tomatoes? The editor reminds everyone that it is best to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Recently, following the media exposure of the "artificially ripened bananas" incident, news about artificially ripened tomatoes, grapes, etc., has also emerged. Some media have even reported that 100% of the vegetables currently on the market use ripening agents. Once the news broke, it immediately caused a strong reaction among the general public. But what kind of agent is this ripener? Do fruits really change color miraculously when ripening agents are used? What is the difference between artificially ripened and naturally ripened fruits? Let's follow an experiment to find out the answers to these questions.
Experiment Purpose
To investigate the ripening effect of the ripening agent (ethepholor) on tomato fruits; to summarize the similarities and differences between artificially ripened and naturally ripened fruits.
Result Analysis
1. Ethepholor is very effective at ripening
After 5 days of storage, the tomatoes not treated with ethepholor showed no change in color, while the tomatoes treated with ethepholor had basically colored.
2. The color of artificially ripened fruit is lighter
Through observation, it was found that the color of artificially ripened tomatoes is lighter than that of naturally ripened ones, appearing orange-red, while naturally ripened tomatoes show a deep red.
3. Artificially ripened fruit is harder
Compared to naturally ripened fruit, artificially ripened fruit is much harder. According to Teng Long from the Vegetable Research Institute of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, this phenomenon may be because the ripening process is not yet complete. "The application of ethepholor should be during the color-changing stage of the fruit; its effect will be compromised if applied at other times."
4. Artificially ripened fruit tastes slightly raw
Experts state that naturally ripened tomatoes are superior in taste to artificially ripened ones. "The artificially ripened ones might not be fully ripe, feeling a bit raw. The sweetness and sourness of the fruit are also slightly inferior to those of naturally ripened fruit."
Conclusion
There is a slight difference in color and hardness between artificially ripened and naturally ripened tomatoes, and the latter also tastes slightly better.
Experiment Extension
Ethepholor has no effect on humans
Today, when ripening agents are widely used in agriculture, people can't help but ask what impact ethepholor has on human health. It is reported that the main function of ethepholor is to release ethylene. After being absorbed by plants, ethepholor can produce ethylene, which is a plant hormone that induces ripening. Fruits themselves produce this substance during the ripening process. Adding ethepholor from the outside can not only act directly on the fruit but also induce the fruit to produce more ethylene, thereby achieving the goal of faster ripening. When it comes to the effect of ethepholor on the human body, experts say it has no effect. All plants produce ethylene during ripening, and there is no essential difference between externally applied and internally produced ethylene.
Ripening is for economic benefits
If the quality of artificially ripened fruit is slightly inferior to that of naturally ripened fruit, why do farmers still do it? It is understood that appropriate ripening can bring significant economic benefits to farmers. Taking a greenhouse of one acre as an example, the tomatoes that have been ripened can sell for more than 3,000 yuan extra because they can be brought to market earlier. Off-season fruits and vegetables often have higher prices, so some farmers use ripening technology to advance the fruit's ripening period in pursuit of profit.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables do not need ripening agents
It is reported that seasonal fruits and vegetables do not need to be artificially ripened. After a large quantity of vegetables comes onto the market, the price will stabilize at a relatively low value. At this point, there is no economic benefit to ripening them. For example, most of the tomatoes on the market now are not artificially ripened.