Consumer maturity

Consumer maturity is the point at which a tomato achieves the best balance of flavor, aroma, color, and texture. Individual sugars, acids, and aromatic compounds change at different rates during ripening, so they do not necessarily reach their peak levels at the same time. For most varieties, consumption maturity occurs after the fruit has finished coloring, although some tomatoes continue to improve in flavor for several days after reaching full color. This is the best time to eat fresh tomatoes.