ABSTRACT
pH stands for power of hydrogen, and the pH number represents the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution. Tomato pH is important because it contributes to the safety of processed tomato products and to the overall flavor of all kinds of tomatoes. Processing tomatoes are so named because they are grown to support production of processed products such as canned diced or stewed tomatoes, catsup, and tomato juice. In these products, tomato pH must remain low enough to keep the product safe but also high enough to maintain flavor. Tomatoes grown for fresh consumption are not as vulnerable to food poisoning concerns. However, pH is still important, because chemically, pH is to flavor as color is to perceived quality with respect to the tomato. The harvesting, sorting, and transport of tomatoes grown for processed tomato products are often highly mechanized.
