The tomato is one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the world today. But where and when did tomatoes first emerge? And how did they spread globally from their origins? The journey of the tomato across continents and cultures is a fascinating story intertwined with exploration, colonization, and cuisine.
In This Article
Botanical Origins of the Tomato
Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family of flowering plants, whose scientific name is Solanaceae. The genus Solanum encompasses plants like potatoes, eggplants, and peppers alongside tomatoes.
Botanically speaking, the cultivated tomato is known as Solanum lycopersicum. Its wild ancestor is the cherry tomato Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme. Genetic evidence indicates cherry tomatoes originated in the Andean mountains of modern-day Peru and Ecuador.
This region was part of the Inca empire and later came under Spanish colonial rule. Indigenous Andean peoples domesticated tomatoes before the arrival of Europeans.
Early Usage in Mesoamerica
The earliest known consumption of tomatoes dates back to around 500 BC – 900 AD in Mexico and Central America. In these Mesoamerican cultures, tomatoes were used both as food and medicine.
The Aztecs cultivated tomatoes and called them xitomatl. Tomatoes were likely first domesticated by the Matlatzinca culture in the present-day Mexican state of Tlaxcala before spreading to the Aztecs.
Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes observed tomato cultivation among the Aztecs in the early 16th century. Aztec cuisine used tomatoes in sauces, stews, and dishes like tomatillo.
Transmission to Europe
Tomatoes entered Europe following the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 16th century. Conquistadors brought tomato seeds back from Mesoamerica to Spain and neighboring Mediterranean lands under Spanish control, like Italy and Portugal.
The earliest known European reference to tomatoes is from an Italian herbal treatise in 1544, which refers to golden apples from the Americas. Spanish and Italian names for tomatoes, like Pomodoro and pomi d’oro mean golden apple.
In the 16th century, tomatoes were mainly ornamental curiosities in European botanical gardens rather than foods. They were viewed with suspicion for being New World crops.
Tomato Adoption in Europe
By the 17th century, tomatoes slowly gained acceptance in Spanish and Italian cuisine. Italy, in particular, embraced tomato sauces, pastes, and dishes. The Mediterranean climate allowed extensive tomato cultivation.
Tomatoes spread from Spain to Portugal, North Africa, Greece, and the Balkans through the expanding Ottoman Empire. This helped tomatoes propagate through southern Europe.
Northern European nations like England and Germany remained highly skeptical of tomato consumption until the late 18th century due to lingering concerns over toxicity.
Global Spread Through Colonization
Alongside conquest and trade, Europeans spread tomatoes to colonies across Asia, Africa, and the Americas:
- Philippines: The Spanish introduced tomatoes in the late 16th century. They are used in stews like afritada.
- India: The Portuguese brought tomatoes to India in the 17th century. They became a staple in curries and chutneys.
- Caribbean: Tomatoes arrived in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, etc., during early Spanish colonization.
- North America: English colonists grew tomatoes from the early 18th century onwards. Thomas Jefferson championed tomato cultivation.
- Brazil and Argentina: Portuguese and Spanish colonists imported tomatoes to be grown and consumed.
- South Africa: All major ethnic groups incorporated tomatoes into cuisine under Dutch and British colonialism.
- Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc., adopted tomatoes under the French, Portuguese, and Dutch empires.
Thus imperialism and colonization enabled the global spread of tomatoes beyond just Europe.
Tomato Acceptance in North America
Early European immigrants to North America were apprehensive of tomatoes, like in Europe. Rumors abounded that tomatoes were poisonous.
As late as 1820, tomatoes were mainly grown ornamentally rather than eaten in the United States. The first confirmed recipe using tomatoes was not published until 1824.
But attitudes shifted later in the 19th century, and tomatoes became commonly consumed. Americans began using tomatoes in preserves, soups, sauces, and more. Tomato ketchup emerged as a popular condiment.
The discovery of tomato canning and puréeing enabled mass production, distribution, and consumption across America by 1900.
The Emergence Of Italy As A Leading Producer
- Tomato cultivation boomed in southern Italy’s fertile volcanic soils in the late 19th century. Canning technology allowed the mass processing of tomatoes into pastes, sauces, and preserved goods.
- Italy went from importing tomatoes in the early 1800s to becoming the dominant exporter by 1900. Italian immigrants brought tomatoes to the Americas, further disseminating cultivation.
- Naples became the center of Italian tomato processing. San Marzano tomatoes grown near Mount Vesuvius became prized for canning into pastes and purees. Italian tomato exports accelerated in the post-World War II era.
Global Tomato Consumption Today
Tomatoes are the highest volume vegetable crop worldwide today, reflecting their near-universal adoption:
- The top producers are China, India, the United States, Turkey, and Egypt.
- Tomatoes are integral to Mediterranean, European, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and South Asian cuisines.
- Tomato sauces, juices, pastes, and canned tomatoes are mass-produced globally.
- The diversity of tomato varieties allows year-round availability in both hemispheres.
- Tomato usage transcends cultures from Mexico to Italy to Indonesia in dishes, sauces, and snacks.
From obscure New World origins, the tomato has remarkably become a dietary staple for billions worldwide.
Evolution as a Global Crop
The global integration of the tomato reflects evolving agronomy, technology, cuisine, and tastes:
- High yields per acre make tomatoes an efficient cash crop.
- Canning and refrigeration enabled preservation and long-distance distribution.
- Breeding improved cold hardiness, allowing cultivation in diverse climates.
- Adaptability to both field and greenhouse farming increased production.
- Tomatoes became acceptable across cultural and religious food traditions.
- Nutritional value and versatility boosted usage across world cuisines.
Over centuries, the tomato’s rise from an exotic novelty to a dietary staple involved immense geographic, cultural, and agronomic adaptation.
Impact on Cuisine and Culture
Beyond agriculture, tomatoes influenced cuisine, health, and the wider culture:
- Tomato sauces became integral to Italian cuisine and national food identity.
- Ketchup evolved from a fermented Chinese fish sauce into a sweet tomato condiment, becoming quintessentially American.
- Tomatoes contributed to more diverse, nutritious diets with vitamins and antioxidants.
- Canning created a mass market food industry and allowed year-round availability.
- Salad bars, sandwiches, and fast food customs incorporated tomatoes extensively.
- Symbolic ties to summertime, Mediterranean culture, and Americana cuisine developed.
Tomatoes thus intertwined with regional identities and customs, transcending the vegetable’s origins.
Unanswered Questions
Many aspects of early tomato history remain open to inquiry:
- More genetic analysis can trace progenitor lineages and domestication timelines.
- Archeological evidence may reveal pre-Columbian tomato usage and cultivation.
- Spain’s role as an intermediary in transmitting tomatoes from the Americas to wider Europe merits more focus.
- Insights into how tomatoes gained initial acceptance in colonial economies need study.
- Documentation is patchy on patterns of early diffusion within Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
- Pre-20th century tomato varietals, cultivation practices, and yields await deeper investigation.
Though broadly understood today, many nuances of the tomato’s early globalization have yet to be fully explored through multidisciplinary lenses.
The Forgotten History of Italian Food
Italian Heritage: History of the Tomato
History Of The Tomato – How The Tomato Took Over The World
Conclusion: Did America Have Tomatoes Before Italy?
In summary, the long journey of the tomato from Andean origins to global ubiquity intertwines with history, economics, agriculture, and culture.
The tomato’s adaptability enabled its adoption from Mexico to the Mediterranean to Africa and Asia within centuries. Technological advances in preservation and shipping since the 19th century allowed the tomato to decisively transition from an exotic plant to a mass-produced vegetable and dietary staple.
The tomato’s culinary uses also diversified worldwide, reflecting ongoing cultural intermingling. The tomato’s evolution continues today through crop improvements and culinary influences. This unique vegetable’s past and future trajectory provides a perspective on how globalization can transform crops and food culture.
When were tomatoes first domesticated?
Indigenous peoples likely first domesticated Tomatoes in Mexico and Peru around 500 BC to 900 AD. The earliest archaeological evidence dates back to around 700 AD in Mexico.
How did tomatoes spread to Europe?
Tomatoes were brought from Mexico to Spain in the 16th century after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Tomatoes diffused around the Mediterranean region from Spain under Spanish and Italian rule.
When were tomatoes first used in cooking?
The earliest evidence of tomatoes used in cooking is from 16th-century Aztec and Spanish colonial sources. Mexican sauces and stews included tomatoes. Italy embraced tomatoes in cuisine by the 17th century.
How did tomatoes become so popular?
Tomatoes grew popular thanks to their flavor, nutrition, and versatility in cooking. Developments like canning and new cultivars enabled mass production and consumption across North America and Europe by the late 19th century.
Where are tomatoes grown today?
China, India, the United States, Turkey, and Egypt are today’s top tomato-producing nations. Tomatoes have become a ubiquitous global crop adapted to many climates.
How are tomatoes eaten around the world?
Tomatoes are integral to cuisines worldwide in sauces, soups, salads, curries, snacks, and as a vegetable. Their culinary usage reflects ongoing cultural exchange and adaptation.
What dishes use tomatoes?
Tomatoes are used in countless dishes globally, including Italian pasta sauces, Mexican salsas, Indian curries, American sandwiches and hamburgers, Middle Eastern salads, and many more.
When did tomato ketchup become popular?
Tomato ketchup emerged as a condiment in the early 1800s in America, rising to mass popularity in the late 19th century with industrial production and branding like Heinz.
How do tomatoes contribute to health?
Tomatoes provide beneficial vitamins, antioxidants, and lycopene, possibly lowering the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Their year-round availability increased nutritional diversity.
What is the future of the tomato?
Tomato breeding continues to improve yields, disease resistance, shelf life, and suitability for mechanical harvesting. Greenhouse production and hydroponics are also growing trends.