New tomato labelling regulations in California will clearly define “vine-ripened” and “greenhouse grown”.
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The state’s tomato industry asked for the accurate labelling rule to ensure that consumers get what they pay for. Vine-ripened and greenhouse tomatoes fetch higher prices, and farmers who invest in these crops incur additional production costs.
The new regulations state that a tomato may be labelled as vine-ripened only if it begins to show colour change from green to red while still on the vine. Tomatoes labelled as “greenhouse grown” must be produced in a fixed steel structure using irrigation and climate control. Producers who violate the new regulations risk having their products pulled from retail shelves.
