In a blind taste test of 26 tins of tomatoes, food writer Nicholas Jordan discovered that brand choice has little impact on the quality of a tomato sauce. The test, conducted with six reviewers, sampled diced, chopped, and pulped tomatoes both straight and cooked into a simple sauce.
Jordan noted that the differences between brands were minimal, with margins so small that scoring became difficult. While some tins were slightly more acidic or had earthy aftertastes, none stood out as exceptional. When cooked into a sauce, every sample was deemed enjoyable, even those that had received poor scores when tasted straight.
A second test focusing on Mutti varieties and a low-scoring brand confirmed the findings: no sample was markedly superior or terrible. Jordan concluded that the brand of tinned tomatoes has very little influence on a sauce, advising home cooks to concentrate on seasoning and cooking times instead.
One reviewer summed up the results succinctly, writing of a cheap sample: “It’s a tomato. I’d eat it.” Jordan has therefore omitted the usual “best overall” and “best value” categories from his test, urging readers to ignore the scores and focus on practical cooking tips.
