ph and flavor

[leigh_1]

Is there a way to accurately measure acidity and sweetness in tomato varieties? I know that there are other components of flavor, but I thought a precise number could give a general idea what a certain tomato tastes like.

[nicky]

You can measure the sugar content with a Brix Refractometer.

Although I don't think that any # could tell you what it actually tastes like - too many variables.

[RayR]

You would need a Brix Refractometer to measure sugar content and a good PH meter to measure acidity.
It does sound like an interesting experiment.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by leigh_1

Is there a way to accurately measure acidity and sweetness in tomato varieties? I know that there are other components of flavor, but I thought a precise number could give a general idea what a certain tomato tastes like.

Ray and Nicky have both given you the information you asked for but those measurements have been made by many folks in the past and there is no real correlation with taste.

And that's not just b'c of all the variables involved not mentioned here, but the most important one is probably the human variable since taste is personal, perceptual, and also to some degree involves a human genetic component.

Well I remember one tomato friend who many years ago did pH and Brix levels on about 300 varieties in one season, had no more use for any of the seeds, so sent the leftover ones to me. What a nice surprise that was. Sure, there was some overlap in varieties I already had, but some I hadn't yet grown were also included.