Panchronia

Court rules the tomato a vegetable

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1893 · Washington, D.C. · Americas · Politics

The US Supreme Court rules on whether a tomato is a fruit

A tomato importer argued that tomatoes were fruit and exempt from the duty on vegetables; botanically, they are berries. In 1893 the US Supreme Court disagreed: people serve tomatoes with dinner, not dessert, so they are vegetables.

State: United States of America

Did you know

Under US law the tomato is a vegetable. Botanists call it a berry, but in 1893 the Supreme Court ruled that since tomatoes are served with dinner, not as dessert, they must be taxed as vegetables. Share →

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