Almost 90% of edible tomatoes thrown away based on appearance – research

Up to 86.7% of harvest rejected, environmental scientist says - underlining Australia's costly food waste culture

Up to 87% of undamaged, edible tomatoes harvested from a commercial Queensland farm were rejected and wasted based on appearance, a study has found, highlighting the problem of food wastage.

Tara McKenzie, an environmental scientist at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said that at every point in the supply chain, edible tomatoes that were slightly odd-shaped or marked or deemed too small or too large were rejected because they didn't meet market standards for premium, unblemished product. She found between 68.6% and 86.7% of the produce was rejected.