Black is the new red for tomatoes
Date: 02-Mar-04
Country: UK
Following its success last year with the purple carrot, supermarket chain Sainsbury's said yesterday it was trialling a new breed of black tomato, called the Kumato.
Six years of research has gone into the super-sweet Kumato, which originates from the Galapagos Islands and was developed to tolerate the dry, salty growing conditions of the Mediterranean.
On top of the health benefits ascribed to normal tomatoes - high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants - Sainsbury's said its Kumato was capable of enhancing the sex lives of reptiles.
"The story goes that seeds were fermented and spread by giant tortoises after consumption of the tomato," it said.
"Moreover, it was said that tortoises eating these tomatoes were mating considerably more than those who didn't, harking back to the once traditional view that tomatoes are a natural aphrodisiac."