Question

Tomatoes appear red in colour due to the presence of the pigment lycopene but at the early stage of a tomato ,it appears green in colour. How does the tomato get its red colour when it is ripe ?

Answer 1

Tomatoes contain two pigments for photosynthesis—chlorophyll, which is green, and lycopene, which is red. When tomatoes start to grow, they contain much less lycopene than chlorophyll, which gives them their green color. But when harvest season arrives, the days shorten and temperatures drop, causing chlorophyll to dissolve and lycopene to take over the shade of the fruit. During this time, sugar levels rise, acid levels drop, and the tomato softens. It becomes ready to eat.