International Produce Training

Tomatoes- Abnormal Coloring

Have you been confused when you have found tomatoes looking like these two?  Abnormal Coloring on tomatoes is a very subjective defect, which has driven inspectors crazy for years.

  • Is it Abnormal Coloring (ABC) or are the tomatoes just starting to break color, from green to red?
  • Will they ripen up with no problems?
  • Why are people cutting tomatoes when they encounter this defect; what are they looking for?
  • Would both of these tomatoes be scored as “Abnormal Coloring,” if not which one?

If you have any advice to share or comments concerning this defect, please write in.

3 Comments on “Tomatoes- Abnormal Coloring”

Anonymous Says:

If I were to score any I would be more inclined to score #2 for abnormal coloring, though I have seen tomatoes like #2 ripen normaly at times.

Anonymous Says:

In our office there is a lot of controversy over what is scored as ABC, and what isn’t. The majority of us would score #2 as ABC, but we would not score tomato #1. They will probably both ripen up with no problems.

Anonymous Says:

I would definately score #2. Tomato#1 I would probably not score for ABC.

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