Tomatoes were domesticated, and eaten, in South America long before being imported to Europe so I'm guessing the story is, at best, apocryphal. Potatoes have a

Tomatoes were domesticated, and eaten, in South America long before being imported to Europe so I'm guessing the story is, at best, apocryphal. Potatoes have a similar origin and also have poisonous leaves for the same reason (nightshade plants often contain solanine)