food the way we produce and consume It has undergone many changes over the past half century, which have significantly affected the taste of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, this situation occurs not only in our country, but also in many parts of the world.

According to Clifford Weil, director of the National Science Foundation’s Plant Genome Research Program, this is the main reason for the decline in palatability. “domestication”. So why do we domesticate our food by sacrificing taste?

Let’s take the example of the tomato, one of the vegetables (technically a fruit) whose taste and aroma have diminished the most over the years.

The aroma found in tomatoes, which are consumed almost everywhere in the world, contains sugars and acids that activate our taste receptors and a range of chemicals that activate our smell receptors. with volatile component determines. For this reason, it is often preferred as a sauce.

Tomato is a vegetable that can easily rot while being transported and stored over long distances. To prevent this are tomatoes It was domesticated to withstand the conditions.

But No genetic intervention was performed. According to Zhangjun Fei, one of the plant geneticists at Cornell University; Tomatoes and other foods lost their flavor genes as plants with higher yields and more sustainable traits were favored.

The gene that gives tomatoes their flavor is missing in 93% of domesticated (modern) species.

International researchers collected the genome information of garden tomatoes and wild tomatoes and compared it with the genome of domesticated tomatoes. This comparison shows that the modern tomato genome contains approximately the same amount as garden and wild tomatoes. missing 5,000 genes revealed that it was so.

Although the truth emerging from these studies is unpleasant, the taste of tomatoes and even other foods may return in the coming years thanks to this discovery.

real potatoes

This was previously unknown genes have been identifiedcan help producers produce better fruits and vegetables. These missing genes are also transferred to plants Because it also produces pathogens Tomato varieties with genetic resistance can be developed against diseases that can be controlled with current pesticides or other expensive and non-environmentally friendly methods.

Those who remember the true taste of fruits and vegetables continue to consume them using little-known methods.

heirloom seed They can get good products by bartering or buying them at local markets in rural parts of Anatolia. sold by villagers They are careful about purchasing the products.