Tangerine tomatoes: origin, biochemistry, potential health benefits and future prospects.

The origin of tangerine tomatoes is disputable, but they were reportedly present from as early as 1934. The carotenoid biosynthesis pathway underlying the accumulation of tetra-cis lycopene in tangerine tomatoes has been well defined. However, the nutritional composition of tangerine tomatoes is not currently publicly available. The carotenoid composition of tangerine tomatoes is unique not only because of the presence of tetra-cis lycopene, but also due to the relatively high content of phytoene, phytofluene, ζ-carotene, and neurosporene relative to other tomato varieties. Although a few in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results, further studies are required to validate the health benefits of tangerine tomatoes. Furthermore, published data regarding the potential health benefits of tangerine tomatoes on cardiovascular and bone health is currently lacking even though red tomatoes have shown promise in these areas.