The researchers of life sciences from National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) have successfully developed a new crossbreed of tomato that is red on the inside, black on the out, the university revealed recently.

NCKU distinguished professor of life sciences Dr. Tzen-Yuh Chiang said, back tomatoes are a true superfood with extremely high levels of vitamins and antioxidants.

"The university would like to introduce the new breed which is expecting to get more revenues for farmers," according to Chiang.

He also noted, the price of general tomato is approximately at NT$250-300 and black tomato can be sold for triple the price or even more.

Some farmers had grown black potatoes in small scales. Perhaps due to different strains, the color of the tomato is not dark enough with low anthocyanin.

According to Chiang, "The new tomato NCKU developed looks like a plump but the flesh is red. It starts out as starts out green just like a regular red growing tomato until the fruit begins to mature and the sun hits it."

The longer the tomato is left on the vine in the sun, the darker it gets, he explained.
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