TheNaturePlanet

Have any friends who enjoy eating cherry tomatoes as fruit noticed a particularly eye-catching type of cherry tomato? With red, yellow, and green colors interlaced, it's as if the tomatoes are wearing camouflage uniforms. Perhaps many people, upon first seeing this cherry tomato, have a question: What kind of magical variety is this? Could it be genetically modified?

This cherry tomato that looks like it's wearing camouflage is actually a special variety of cherry tomato. Look at its fruits, which are round or oval, with red, yellow, and green colors interwoven on the surface. They shine brightly in the sun, boasting full visual appeal! Its scientific name is "camouflage cherry tomato." Although it looks fancy, it's essentially part of the same family as the cherry tomatoes we usually eat, just a bit more "fond of beauty."

In terms of growth characteristics, it belongs to the "indeterminate growth type." What does that mean? As long as there is suitable sunlight, water, and temperature, the plant can keep growing vertically, flowering and bearing fruit in succession—extremely productive! Take the popular "Purple Bullet" variety on the market, for example. Its fruits have green stripes at the bottom, each about the size of a thumb (approximately 18–22 grams). They can be popped into the mouth whole, offering a crispy bite with sandy and sweet flesh—perfect as a snack. You might 不知不觉 (unconsciously) finish a whole box while watching a drama!

Speaking of this, everyone must be most concerned about whether such a uniquely colored tomato is a genetically modified food. Don't worry—let's "verify" it! In Guangxi, there is a variety called "Lixin Camouflage" that was specially tested at the authoritative testing center of the Ministry of Agriculture. The results clearly state "non-genetically modified"! You know, this national-level testing is as strict as a "paternity test" for fruits and vegetables, so now you can rest assured, right?

So, where do its colors come from? In fact, like hybrid rice and colorful bell peppers that we often eat, it relies on traditional cross-breeding techniques. Breeding experts manually pollinate tomato varieties with different colors and characteristics, allowing them to "mate," and then select the most visually appealing and delicious seedlings from the offspring, cultivating them through successive generations. The entire process involves the natural recombination of genes in nature, without any artificial insertion of foreign genes—completely different from genetic modification, which involves "artificially altering genetic codes."

To put it more simply, just as humans have different skin and hair colors, tomato colors are determined by their own genes. The reason why camouflage cherry tomatoes have multiple colors is that during cross-breeding, the genes controlling red, yellow, and green colors "came together," just like a painter naturally blending several pigments to form a unique pattern. This is the result of the wisdom of nature and human breeding, not some "technological trick."

Common camouflage cherry tomato varieties on the market today include "Purple Bullet Camouflage," "Purple Sweet Camouflage," and varieties introduced from Taiwan and Israel. These little fruits are not only good-looking but also highly nutritious, containing more anthocyanins—a natural antioxidant that benefits the skin and eyes. Additionally, their fruits are relatively firm and can remain crispy in the refrigerator for a week, making them very convenient.

When purchasing, keep two points in mind: First, buy from regular channels such as supermarkets or qualified e-commerce platforms, and avoid unlicensed roadside vendors selling products of unknown origin. Second, check whether the packaging has a "non-genetically modified" label or agricultural product certification mark for greater peace of mind. Once bought, simply wash them and eat them directly, or use them in salads or yogurt cups. With their high visual appeal and delicious taste, posting them on social media is sure to make people ask for the purchase link.

In fact, there are many "treasure fruits and vegetables" like camouflage cherry tomatoes around us. They have gained unique appearances and flavors through traditional breeding techniques, preserving the natural taste while embodying the efforts of researchers. The next time you encounter a particularly shaped agricultural product, don't panic. Upon learning more, you'll find that many are "double gifts" from both nature and human wisdom.