Is it safe to eat unripe green tomatoes?
Written by
Tina Carter
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.Mature green tomatoes are perfectly safe to eat if cooked properly. These are tomatoes that 'set' (not 'ripened' or 'colored'), meaning they have reached their full size but are not yet ripe. The small amounts of solanine present are harmless when the food is cooked. Lovely dishes like fried green tomatoes, popular in the South, confirm that they are harmless and even delightful when prepared properly.
Solanine Levels
- 100 times lower than toxic thresholds in mature greens
- Cooking reduces compounds by 40-50% through heat breakdown
- No recorded poisonings from properly prepared green tomatoes
- Similar levels to potatoes and eggplants
Safe Preparation
- Always cook at temperatures above 165°F
- Avoid raw consumption except in ripe varieties
- Remove stems and any damaged portions
- Combine with acidic ingredients like vinegar
Green tomatoes are worth cooking for their nutritional value. They have higher vitamin C content than ripe tomatoes, chlorophyll gives you antioxidants, and the fiber content remains excellent. Cooking destroys the risks of tomatine and preserves all their nutrients besides. Add them to your diet.
Be certain the tomatoes you use for cooking are really mature. They should have reached full size for the variety, and not be small, hard, green ones which have not been properly developed, and which might be dangerous if eaten. There should be a slightly yellowish tinge at the blossom end, and a slight tendency to softness should be present.
Popular Recipes. Green tomatoes are used to make all sorts of delicacies. Scalloped or fried in slices, with cornmeal crusting, they take half an hour to prepare. Chutney should be allowed to simmer for an hour, with the raisins and spices. Quick-pickling requires only a brine of vinegar for overnight storage. The result runs from crispness to tenderness. They should always be served with an additional interesting accompaniment, such as cheese or yogurt.
Read the full article: When to Harvest Tomatoes for Best Flavor
