The party was scheduled to start at 4pm in Leith St, but by 4.10pm only a few residents had turned up to throw food items including tomatoes, apples, onions and eggs at one another, and passing cars.
The food fight was short-lived and did not attract the attention of police, with some food throwers wearing hooded tops and facemasks so they could not be identified.
Mel James, a second-year linguistics student at Otago University, said decreased tolerance towards student behaviour might have left students feeling apprehensive.
"I think everyone's a bit scared-off street and house parties after the letter Castle St got, and those students who got expelled [after their actions during the Orientation Week Toga Parade]."
More than 500 people had signed up for the La Tomatina party, based on a Spanish festival at which people throw ripe tomatoes at each other.
It is understood some students feared authorities would take a similar position to last week's "Castle St keg party", also organised online, at which occupants of the street were warned those found committing offences could be placing their future at the university in jeopardy.
