I have dehydrated many tomatoes this year, but is don't think any of them became alcoholic. Dehydrating is just a matter of removing the water contained in the tomato. I don't see how this could create fermentation or alcohol.

I suppose you could dehydrate them and then ferment them. But again I'm at a loss to see how that would creTe alcohol.

Angie

It s possible to dry in such a way that may include fermentation or oxidation. For example, that is how tobacco and tea leaves are dried (slow drying and oxidation). Tomato, which has high moisture contents and sugar, would ferment if dried slowly, like making raisin from grape.

Modern dehydrating is a fast moisture removal, not allowing for any bacterial/yeast activity.
I dry Key Limes slowly that goes through some fermentation, giving it a special flavor not found in fresh lime or lemon. So it is possible to dry tomato in similar fashion. I would be interested to know how it is done.

Hi NC R.E., Doubt it. I'm thinking either poor quality control, and not anything specifically "Mexican".

It sounds to me like one of two things:

The process I have witnessed is cutting them in pieces and putting the cut side down on a supposedly clean screen.

The surface is not always clean and not always a screen and the pieces not always small ... as they should be and Sun drying can't be done properly this way if the days get too wet/humid which depends on the weather, or they will sour somewhat just like you would expect in the presence of microbial action.

The other possibility is the use of sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets) to conserve the ripe color, can cause a stinky odor which give the impression of fermentation, but is actually excess, and from sulfur dioxide. Although it smells rotten, it actually is an anti-microbial and has been used in winemaking for centuries to prevent acetic smell. Such a product would have listed in the ingredients "contains sulfites". I don't think the US still uses it much in this application but I seem to remember eating some Turkish dried apricots that I could smell it in. You might research that if interested. The compound is still commonly used in Mexico for sun drying tomato.

PC

It might be possible that they ferment the tomatoes to make them alcoholic before drying them. But I don't see how they could become alcoholic while drying (they can become soured while drying if it's done slowly or improperly as the others have already said).

Rodney

Maybe they soak them in wine first and then dehydrate them? People do this and claim that they are very tasty.

Linda

I did find some very interesting articles on fermenting tomatoes as well as peppers...
http://www.underwoodgardens.com/slide-recipes-and-cooking/ingredients/tomato/fermented-tomato-conserve-conserva-cruda-di-pomodoro/#.VCAXJGd0zzB