PLUM TOMATO

~20 - 25 lbs Plum Tomato aka "Roma Tomato", "Processing Tomato", "Paste Tomato", "Chang-Fan-Qie", "Li-Zi-Fan-Qie", "Luo-Ma-Fan-Qie", "长蕃茄", "李子番茄", "罗马番茄", "長蕃茄", "羅馬番茄" Plum tomato is generally oval or cylindrical in shape. It has significantly fewer locules than standard round tomatoes and a generally higher solid content, making them more suitable for processing into a paste. Plum tomatoes taste mild and not as juicy as the other varieties. Plum tomato is available year-round. Handling Tip Selection Plum tomato is firm with a uniform red, shiny skin. Depending on the time of usage, you can choose a lighter shade of red which indicated a less ripe plum tomato. No signs of shriveling, tear skin, or blemishes. Storage Unripe plum tomato should be stored at 66°F - 70°F (19°C - 21°C) with a relative humidity of ninety to ninety-five percent and no mist. The ripe plum tomato should be stored at 45°F (7°C) with the same relative humidity. The typical shelf life for unripe plum tomatoes is three to four weeks and seven to ten days for red tomatoes. Store plum tomatoes stem-end up to help preserve the quality. Plum tomato is sensitive to ethylene, a naturally occurring gas that regulates ripening. Plum tomatoes should not be stored with high ethylene-producing products to extend shelf life. Plum tomato produces a moderate amount of ethylene. Plum tomato is sensitive to chilling injury at storage below 55°F (13°C). Symptoms include pitting, ununiformed ripening, loss of flavor, and storage decay. As plum tomato ripens, it becomes less sensitive to chilling injury.