Scientists from Cornell University have found that the reason why vegetables in stores taste unsatisfactory is due to changes in their genetics.

Modern consumers prefer fresh vegetables all year round, even out of season, which encourages producers to grow them in greenhouses, maintaining artificial conditions. This, in turn, leads to the loss of genes responsible for taste characteristics in favor of increased yields and profits.

A study conducted by scientists led by a professor and a geneticist Zhangjun Fei, covered 725 tomato varieties. It turned out that 90% of cultivated varieties lack the gene that gives tomatoes a unique taste. These modern varieties also lack immunity and spraying is used to combat harmful environmental factors.

However, Zhangjun Fei came up with the idea that lost taste genes could be restored and new varieties could be created that had the perfect combination of taste and sustainability.