Israeli farmers develop black tomatoes

The next Arava Agricultural R&D exhibition will feature a brand new Israeli development – the black tomato. The new tomato, which sports the name "Black Galaxy," was developed by Technological Seeds DM. The company says that the color is the produce of a special pigment, which was derived from blueberries and introduced into the new species. Related stories Knesset greenlights Produce Standards Law Israeli researchers develop oil-based pesticide Israel, India to expand agricultural ties The pigment is photosensitive and the longer the tomato is left on the vine, the darker it gets. Yedioth Ahronoth quoted the developers as saying that the unique pigment also carried health benefits, such as a high concentration of antioxidants and Vitamin C, which are known to help boost the immune system and prevent various diseases. (Photo: Arava Agricultural R&D Expo) The black tomato will make its worldwide debut at the Arava Agricultural R&D Exhibition, in early February. Over 250 companies from Israel and the world over will participate in the expo, which is also open to the public. Among other new edible creations, the show will feature seedless lemons, a new species of strawberries, red lemons and rainbow carrots – which are yellow, purple and pink as well as the newest agro-tech developments, such as thermal plant imaging, a crop dusting robot and more. Getting you hands on a black tomato or a purple carrot might be a little difficult, though since they are now slated for export only. Mati Siver contributed to this report Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter