Watering tomatoes with seawater can boost their content of antioxidants and may lead to healthier salads, appetizers, and other tomato-based foods, scientists in Italy report.

In the new study, Riccardo Izzo and colleagues grew cherry tomatoes in both freshwater and in a dilute solution of 12 percent seawater. They found that ripe tomatoes grown in the salty water showed higher levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, dihydrolipoic acid, and chlorogenic acid. All of these substances are antioxidants that appear to fight heart disease, cancer, aging, and other conditions. Using saltwater to irrigate tomato crops also appears to be a promising alternative to freshwater irrigation, especially in the wake of water shortages in some parts of the world, the researchers note.

The article “Irrigation with Diluted Seawater Improves the Nutritional Value of Cherry Tomatoes” is scheduled for the May 14 issue of ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Posted: 04|29|08 at 9:01 am. Filed under: News.