UglyRipe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
UglyRipeTM is a brand of heirloom tomato named for its unusual appearance. It is sold by Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation, often under its Santa Sweets brand. The tomato has creases and folds around its exterior, unlike many other modern tomatoes which have a uniformly smooth exterior. Due to this, it is marketed under the name "ugly". The UglyRipe is said to be cultivated from the Marmande or Maramondo heirloom tomato, which is well known in France.
According to some, they are better tasting than some other common varieties of tomatoes. Some common tomatoes today have been bred to have thicker skins, and smooth exteriors to match perceived consumer expectations, and for shelf life. However modern tomatoes commercialized in the US have also gained a reputation to some of having a somewhat bland taste. Some people complained that they feel the taste from present common varieties of tomatoes sold does not match the taste of tomatoes they enjoyed from years ago. Also, Europeans who visit the US often complain that tasty tomatoes are commercially unavailable in the US, which is not the case in Europe. Although, taste is said to be subjective, what might taste good to one person can be disagreeable to another.
UglyRipe claims to bring back characteristics from the older varieties of tomatoes, hence the folds in the tomatoes exterior, and as well, UglyRipes tend to have softer skins. Due to this they may have a somewhat shorter shelf life than regular tomatoes, and a higher price, but given proper storage they have been reported to keep a good time.
Other tomato varieties, such as Beefsteak, can resemble UglyRipe under certain conditions, particularly when they bloom at temperatures below 58°F, grow under high nitrogen levels, or are injured by herbicides. The resulting malformation – deep crevices and puckering of the fruit – is called catfacing. While these crevices provide a very different physical appearance compared to the conventional smooth, round tomatoes, they do not affect the nutritional value.
[edit] Controversy
Many of the UglyRipe tomatoes are grown in Florida, however, the federally created Florida Tomato Committee, which has authority to set requirements regarding various characteristics of tomatoes being sold interstate, has attempted to block the export of UglyRipe tomatoes across state borders outside of the Florida. They said that the UglyRipe tomatoes violate their requirements on the physical appearance of tomatoes. The Florida Tomato Committee said it is enforcing rules which require all tomatoes to be indistinguishable in appearance from one another and follow the strict guidelines regarding appearance. They said their concern is maintaining a certain appearance and shape for all tomatoes.
The Florida Tomato Board is one of 34 federally created Agricultural marketing committees, which are given the authority to set requirements regarding what types of fruits, vegetables, and nuts can be sold and which cannot. The boards were established by acts of the United States Congress in 1937. The requirements can ban certain crops from being sold, including based solely on factors unrelated to the actual edibility and safety of the foods, such as appearance and taste.
Some opponents of the Florida Tomato Committee's move said that the tomatoes are perfectly edible and have quality taste, differing from other tomatoes only in appearance. They said the Florida Tomato Committee's move was not an attempt to ban the tomato based on some actual quality/edibility issue, such as the tomatoes being spoiled or inedible. Many individuals from both parties have said that taste and appearance is indeed subjective. Some opponents of the block on sales tend to favour allowing consumers to be able to choose between the smooth skinned varieties and the "ugly" tomatoes based on their own preferences, while some proponents believe that all tomatoes sold should conform to the uniform standards of appearance.
