A new 'super tomato' with high levels of pigment that may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, as well as having other nutritional benefits, is set to go on sale in Tesco stores across the UK on Monday.
The naturally grown Moruno variety, which has been developed exclusively for Tesco, has double the levels of lycopene and a higher vitamin C content than other tomato varieties, according to the retailer.
'Tomatoes are already considered superfoods because they have so many health-giving qualities,' said Tesco tomato buyer Ashleigh McWilliams. 'However the Moruno, because of its very high lycopene and vitamin C levels, may actually qualify as being the first super superfood.
'The health benefits of antioxidants such as lycopene in our diets have attracted a lot of positive attention from both the medical and culinary worlds,' she noted. 'Functional foods such as tomatoes have naturally high levels of lycopene, however this naturally-bred variety has double the level of standard ones.
'But besides its exceptional nutritional content the Moruno is also notable for its very sweet taste, making it much easier for parents with which to tempt young children.'
Grown in Spain by seed specialist Paloma, the Moruna took two years to develop and is the result of cross-breeding 2,000 different tomato varieties.
'The other great news about the Moruno is that it tastes great and has thick, juicy flesh,' Ms McWilliams said. 'And gram-for-gram it has as much vitamin C as an orange.'
