It’s a question used to trick schoolkids the nation over: Is the tomato actually a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of a vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans, and peas, that is according to Dr. Kwadwo Kusi Amoah, a lecturer at the Department of Crop Science of the University of Cape Coast.
He says scientific classification indicates that the tomato qualifies as a fruit adding that the definition hinges on the fact that fruits are the part of the plant that develops from the ovary after flowering and contains the seeds.
“Everyone who plants tomatoes will realize that the fruit sprouts from flowers and it is from the flowers that the ovaries mature to become fruits. So, the tomatoes that we see around and eat are fruits”, he said.
Speaking on the Biribisoronko programme on ATL FM on Saturday, he said despite this scientific categorization, tomatoes have been commonly used as vegetables in dishes.
He stated that tomatoes are categorized as fruit vegetables because of its nature as it can be eaten raw or used in a dish.
“We use them like vegetables, we add them to the main meal. So, tomatoes, and garden eggs are all fruits but we classify them as vegetables. Lettuce is classified as a leafy vegetable,” he indicated.
Dr. Kusi Amoah further noted that in the world of botany, any plant part that develops from a flower and contains seeds is considered a fruit.
He further explained that “Every tree has certain major parts, we have the root, stem, and leaf and some parts of the tree produce flowers. So, some of the flowers have the male part, stamen, and female part, carpels. And we have the part that attracts birds to the flower. There is a part on the stamen which is called the pollen grain and the carpel is normally only one. Pollination occurs when the pollen grain enters the ovaries and this leads to the development of the fruits. So, fruits come from the flowers.”
According to him, when the ovaries mature it turns to fruits and “if you look at the tomatoes and mango, the same flowers develop into fruits that we eat.
Dr. Kusi Amoah also categorized plantain as a fruit as it also comes from the flower.
He however indicated that carrot is not from flowers so it is not and cannot be termed as a fruit.
He, therefore, urged pre-school teachers to categorize fruits and vegetables correctly for children at that tender age underlining the importance of properly educating children about the foods they eat.
“We want to teach the children the right things. I know sugarcane is not part of fruits. Sugar cane produces flowers as well as fruits but its fruits is not edible so, we don’t classify sugar cane as a fruit”.
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Source: Flora Tang/ATLFM NEWS
