what's the role of basil leaf or leaves, packed inside with good quallity tomatoes in canned dop whole tomatoes?

[hae young]

does anyone know why?

[golfer1]

I had the opportunity to tour several tomato packing plants in California, and one (Stanislaus), has a room where they wash the fresh basil prior to putting them in the cans. They use vats, that look like hot tubs, that gently wash the basil with jets of water. The aroma in the room is incredible...fragrant and sweet...and I was hungry immediately. Pretty impressive.

[Caitlin McGrath]

They are there for their flavor, because tomatoes and basil are frequently paired in Italian cooking.

[hae young]

but i mean the basil leaf is already inside of the cans.
mario batali recommended to throw out the basil leaf before cooking the canned tomatoes inti sauce.
and in my "experince?" the fresh basil leaf lose its flavor quickly unless it is used in fresh manner.

[sunshine842]

Yes- it's there to infuse the tomatoes with the flavor of basil. It's already done its job - when the hot product was added to the can and sealed.

If you want to throw it away, that's fine -- by the time you open the can, it will have already infused the liquid in the tin with its essential oils.