Processed tomatoes, dry tomatoes and method of producing the same

Abstract

Disclosed are: dry tomatoes having excellent texture, flavor, and appearance, as well as being readily producible; and processed tomatoes suitable as a raw material for producing such dry tomatoes. Specifically disclosed are: a processed tomato wherein a portion of a cuticular layer, together with or without a portion of an epidermal tissue, has been removed; a dry tomato produced by drying the processed tomato; a method of producing a processed tomato comprising removing a portion of a cuticular layer, together with or without a portion of an epidermal tissue, by laser irradiation on a tomato surface; a method of producing a processed tomato comprising removing a portion of a cuticular layer of a tomato, the main body of which is not cut; a method of producing a processed tomato comprising removing a portion of an epidermal tissue together with a portion of a cuticular layer of a tomato, the main body of which is not cut, while preventing leakage of fruit juice to the surface; and a method of producing a dry tomato comprising producing a processed tomato by the preceding production method, and thereafter drying the processed tomato.