Can I eat my split cherry tomatoes fresh?

Question

We were on vacation and had relatives take care of the garden. I think they watered the tomato plants even though we already have drip irrigation, because now about 50% of our cherry tomatoes are split. I separated the good ones from the split ones. Now, should I cook the split ones or are they OK? I'm worried about eating bug larvae, but will cooking even kill that? (Admittedly, I'm a slight entomophobe.)

Answer 1

Just wash them well, and you can eat them raw. If you're worried about larvae, slice them in half first and inspect the insides.

Answer 2

If they're freshly-split, they are no more hazardous than freshly-sliced tomatoes. You can tell whether they're freshly-split by looking at the edges of the opening.

If it looks dry and curled, it's not very fresh.  Throw away/compost any rotting ones. The less-than-fresh ones can be used to make good sauces and soups.  My preferred method is to make "tomato squish", running them through a food processor.  I freeze it in 1 and 2-cup amounts, in zip-lock bags. A person might preserve it in jars, but it's more problematic. (Surprisingly, tomatoes are NOT sufficiently acid to be jarred without added acid.)

Cherry tomatoes could also be frozen in bags or airproof containers. It wouldn't do any harm to 'blanch' them (pour boiling over them briefly) before packing them.

In the unlikely case that there are bug bits around, they would be cooked solid in anything you'd be likely to make.  How about think about it as increasing the protein in your diet (!)