About
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the edible berry of the tomato plant, widely consumed as a vegetable ingredient in fresh, cooked, and processed forms for its flavor, color, and nutritional value. It is among the richest dietary sources of the antioxidant carotenoid lycopene, as well as vitamin C, potassium, and folate.
Safety summary
Tomatoes are universally regarded as a safe whole food with no restrictions in any major regulatory jurisdiction, supported by centuries of common dietary use. The key bioactive compound lycopene has been assigned an ADI of 0.5 mg/kg body weight/day from all dietary sources by EFSA (2008), with high consumers—particularly young children—potentially exceeding this level from processed tomato products. While epidemiological studies associate tomato consumption with reduced risk of certain cancers and cardiovascular disease, neither EFSA nor FDA has approved formal health claims due to insufficient causal evidence.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Tomato is permitted for sale and consumption as a whole food and as processed products under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. No ADI is established for the whole fruit.source |
| Health Canada (Canada) | Approved | Tomatoes and tomato products are approved for sale as whole foods and processed commodities under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. No ADI is established.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Tomatoes are freely permitted whole foods under EU food law. EFSA's AFC Panel (2008) established an ADI of 0.5 mg/kg bw/day for lycopene from all dietary sources combined (including naturally occurring lycopene in tomatoes and added lycopene). Of 30 submitted health claim applications related to lycopene/tomato, EFSA approved only one: a water-soluble tomato concentrate (Fruitflow®) for maintaining normal platelet aggregation (Article 13.5).source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Tomatoes and tomato products regulated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. Lead limit for fruit and vegetable juices including tomato juice is set at 1.0 ppm. FSSAI also has ongoing revision of standards for thermally processed tomato puree and paste. India is the world's second-largest producer of tomatoes. |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. 21 CFR Part 155.190 – Canned Tomatoes. ecfr.gov
- 2PubMed. Lycopene and tomato and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3PubMed. Tomato and tomato byproducts. Human health benefits of lycopene and its application to meat products: a review, 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4PubMed. An Update on the Health Effects of Tomato Lycopene, 2013. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, 2011. fssai.gov.in
- 6FSSAI. FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.3: Fruit and Vegetable Products, 2011. fssai.gov.in
