Syngenta’s new purple cocktail tomato Yoom has been awarded the 2020 Three Star Superior Taste Award, by the International Taste Institute in Brussels, Belgium.
In recognition of its “remarkable taste”, the Yoom tomato scored 91.3 per cent in a blind tasting evaluation, that was carried out by leading chefs and sommeliers from around the world.
The professional jury of over 200 taste experts rated the Yoom tomato 91.3 per cent as its overall score, 93 per cent for its 'pleasing and consistent visual aspect, due to its attractive, distinctive colour', 91 per cent for its overall gustative impression, and 91 per cent for its aroma, which plays an 'essential role in its flavour perception'.
Judges also gave Yoom 91 per cent for its flavours, described as 'a perfect sweet and sour balance for an umami taste', and 89 per cent for its texture.
Stijn Roelandt, sous chef at the 3 Michelin star-rated Hof van Cleve and a member of the judging panel, explained that the competition consisted of a very strict judging process, where the products are blind tasted.
“This means we have to be completely objective as we do the sensory analysis and as a result, only truly good products achieve certification,” he said.
This year also saw Yoom win the Gold Award at the Fruit Logistica Innovation Awards 2020 in Berlin, which honours outstanding innovations in the fresh produce Industry, from production to the point of sale.
Yoom stood out as an innovation due to its highly attractive purple colour, great flavour and vitality boost, while it also provides large quantities of vitamins and anthocyanins compared to regular red tomatoes which makes it a healthy food option for the consumer.
“Taste is of central importance to today’s discerning customers and so it is great Yoom is being recognised for its exceptional flavour and innovation in the marketplace through these prestigious awards,' said Jeremie Chabanis, Syngenta value chain head EAME. 'In collaboration with growers, we have created a tomato that offers a gourmet experience for consumers who seek an uplift their daily meals, while being easy to grow and delivering good shelf-life, benefiting stakeholders from across the value chain.”
Yoom tomatoes are currently available in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Hungary, Japan, Korea and Australia, with distribution soon to expand to markets that include Canada, the UK, the US and China.
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