LycoRed Ltd., Israel, will launch Lyc-O-Mato self-dried cherry tomatoes, a new addition to the Lyc-O-Mato line. These unique tomatoes were developed especially for food fortification at the Israeli agricultural research center, Volcani Institute. The high-lycopene tomatoes were bred and commercialized by Tomaisins International, Ltd. Whereas ordinary cherry tomatoes contain a fraction of a milligram of lycopene, each Lyc-O-Mato self-dried cherry tomato provides more than 1mg of lycopene, the powerful antioxidant that delivers so many health benefits. Only five of these self-dried cherry tomatoes are needed to provide the 5mg lycopene/serving recommended for the fortification of conventional foods.
Innovative, Lyc-O-Mato self-dried cherry tomatoes were conventionally bred with a water permeable outer layer that allows them to dehydrate quickly, while still on the plant. Self-dried cherry tomatoes provide a nutritious and tasty addition to a wide variety of foods that will benefit from the savory flavor and added tomato phytonutrients. The self-dried cherry tomatoes provide, not just lycopene, but the complete array of natural tomato phytonutrients, including beta-carotene, tocopherols and phytosterols. These phytonutrients comprise the Lyc-O-Mato oleoresin tomato lycopene complex, which is already well established in the dietary supplement industry. Clinical research suggests that the synergy between the tomato phytonutrients is responsible for lycopenes role in promoting heart, prostate, and skin health and in protecting cells from oxidative damage.