Vino de Milo Sundried Tomato with Merlot Dressing http://qualifirst.com/product/Toront/107284/Sundried-Tomato-w-Merlot-Dressing-355ml-Vino-de-Milo Blair’s Co…
Question by judywhitebook: Is there a chemical reaction between granite and tomatoes?
I buy “grape” tomatoes in plastic containers with air holes. If I keep the container on a granite counter, I later find a sticky, brownish-red substance on the counter. The tomatoes do not touch the counter and appear unaffected.
Best answer:
Answer by aussie_east_ender
The moisture causes the iron in the granite to rust.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Maybe there’s a pesticide on them that has a half-life that interferes with whatever you cleaned the granite with… pesticide fallout+other chemicals= yucky!
Could also be the plastic breaking down?
Good luck with this household mystery.
First of all granite has no iron in it, that’s just ridiculous. Granite rusting?!?
Your question is a good one. There shouldn’t be any reaction between a mineral and an organic substance like a tomato. That’s why they build countertops out of rock like marble and granite… because they don’t react to heat or moisture and they don’t absorb water.
What you described sounds like dried tomato juice. Maybe one of your grape tomatos got squashed and leaked all over the counter. Or maybe it was spoiled and “popped” open releasing its contents.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. If you’re really inclined, try leaving a couple tomatoes out over night and see what happens.
there’s a trace amount of iron in just about everything but it definitely doesn’t rust that fast … and when it does, it doesn’t turn “sticky.” wipe away the sticky stuff and examine the countertop below it. if the countertop is unaffected, then its something on the bottom of the container. put the container on a white plate to see if the same thing happens.