Vegetable
Roma
A tier
Roma tomatoes are classic paste types—oblong, firm, with thick walls, smaller seed gel, and lower water than salad rounds—selected for sauce, canning, and drying. Flavour is tomato-forward and slightly less floral than many heirlooms, concentrating cleanly when simmered. Field and greenhouse Romas supply much of the processing industry and home passata. Core and simmer into sauce, roast to deepen sweetness, or oven-dry for pantry halves. Peeling is easy after blanching. Romas are less ideal for showy raw slicing but excellent where body and reduced cooking time matter.
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
The Roma VF cultivar and related paste types standardised oblong processing tomatoes in North America.
Global paste and canning industries relied on Roma-class fruit for consistency.
Home gardeners kept Roma as the default sauce tomato beside San Marzano-style imports.