[Williams]

This may explain the science but not the real reason. I grew up with delicious tomatoes, especially Jersey Beefsteaks. Farmers were made to discontinue those in favor of bland tomatoes that can survive longer in train cars and in stores. There is some effort to rediscover the “heirloom” tomatoes but its very sad what was done.

[cherry]

'Farmers were made to discontinue those in favor of bland tomatoes that can survive longer in train cars and in stores."

they did the same thing to apples...

as a kid, I worked on an upstate NY apple orchard.....nothing better than a fresh MacIntosh or a McCoun or Cortland right off the tree...

here in the west, they consider the uniform red delicious to be the "best apple" when in reality, IMO they taste like cardboard...