genetically for the first time The first commercially available genetically modified (GM) food was the tomato, which was invented in the United States in 1994. Since then, a variety of genetically modified foods have been created, including corn, cotton, potatoes and pink pineapple.
Although genetically engineered foods still get a bit of a bad rap, there are actually many reasons why genetically modifying an organism is worthwhile. For example, many varieties of genetically modified foods make them more resistant to disease.
It is also possible to change the food to something more nutritious. For example golden rice. This grain was designed to have higher levels of vitamin A to address deficiencies of this nutrient in poorer countries.
However, despite the development of genetically modified foods since 1994, very few products have actually hit the market. Continued public ignorance about GM products, coupled with the reluctance of government policymakers in some countries, is preventing genetically engineered foods from moving from the lab to the market. This is why purple tomatoes received regulatory approval in the United States this September.
make purple tomatoes
For the past 14 years, Kathy Martin and Eugenio Butelli and their team at the John Innes Center in Norfolk, England, have been working on the development of purple tomatoes. They aimed to design a tomato with higher levels of anthocyanins, which could be used alongside unmodified tomatoes to study the benefits of anthocyanins. Due to its widespread consumption, the team decided to revamp the tomato.
Anthocyanins are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables with red, purple, or blue flesh or skin, such as blueberries, strawberries, eggplant, and red cabbage. was incorporated into the tomato DNA.
The end result of these experiments was a unique fruit, not just because of its color. This is beneficial for many reasons.
Due to the higher anthocyanin levels in purple tomatoes, the shelf life is doubled compared to red tomatoes. This is because anthocyanins help delay overripening and reduce the susceptibility of the fruit to post-harvest fungal attack.
Another advantage of high levels of anthocyanins is that they attract pollinators and animals to disperse seeds, increasing plant reproductive success and yield. Anthocyanins also protect plants from UV damage and protect against pathogens, thereby maximizing plant survival.
Anthocyanins may also be good for your health. Studies on other foods containing them have linked them to reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Research into the benefits of purple tomatoes, especially to humans, is still ongoing, but one study in which cancer-prone mice were fed a diet supplemented with purple tomatoes found that compared to mice fed red tomatoes, It was found that they actually lived 30% longer.
GM’s future
There have been many exciting developments in the field of GM foods over the last few years, including the first genome-edited GABA tomato in Japan and vitamin D-enriched tomatoes in the UK. Both were developed using his CRISPR genome editing technology.
Genetic modification offers many advantages. Not only can developing more resilient crops help address the challenges of climate change, but breeding plants with higher levels of specific vitamins and minerals can improve health and contribute to many common health issues. GM crops also help ensure that everyone, wherever they live, has access to high-quality, fresh produce that is good for themselves and the environment. maybe.
GM foods are also heavily regulated in many countries. This means that products approved for consumption are safe for human, plant and animal health.
The biggest challenge now is getting more governments around the world to approve the marketing of these genetically engineered foods. The UK is ahead of other countries when it comes to regulating gene-edited crops, but it is currently unknown if genetically modified purple tomatoes will be marketed in the UK. It will be available in the US in 2023.
This article was originally published on conversation Yang Yue Quadrum InstituteRead the original article here.