Norwich (UK). The first genetically modified (GM) food to be made commercially available to the public was the tomato, which was invented in the US in 1994. Since then, many different genetically modified foods have been created, including corn, cotton, potatoes and pink pineapples. Although genetically modified foods are still considered bad, there are many good reasons why modifying genetics by saying these substances may be worthwhile.
For example, many strains of genetically modified foods have made them disease resistant. It is also possible to modify foods to make them more nutritious. Take golden rice for example. To combat the lack of this nutrient in poor countries, this grain was engineered to have higher levels of vitamin A. But despite all the developments in genetically modified foods since 1994, only a few products have actually made it to market. The reluctance of government policymakers in some countries, as well as the general public’s continued ignorance about GM products, has hindered the progress of genetically modified foods from the lab to the market. Which is why the regulatory approval of purple tomatoes in the US this September is so exciting.
Making Purple Tomatoes
For the past 14 years, Cathy Martin and Eugenio Butelli and their team from the John Innes Center in Norfolk, England, have been working on developing a purple tomato. Their aim was to create a tomato that had higher levels of anthocyanins – which could be used alongside unmodified tomatoes to study the benefits of anthocyanins. The team decided to modify the tomato because these fruits are delicious and widely used. Anthocyanins occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables that have red, purple or blue rinds – such as blueberries, strawberries, eggplant and red cabbage.
To produce purple tomatoes, the team incorporated genes from the snapdragon into tomato DNA. The end result of these experiments was a unique fruit – and not just because of its color. They were also successful in engineering tomatoes that had high levels of anthocyanins – comparable to the amount found in blueberries – which is beneficial for a number of reasons. The higher levels of anthocyanins in purple tomatoes actually serve to double their shelf life compared to red tomatoes. This is because anthocyanins help to delay over-ripening and reduce the susceptibility of the fruit to fungal attack after harvest.
Another benefit of high levels of anthocyanins is that they attract pollinators and animals to disperse seeds, which increases plant fertility and yield. Anthocyanins also protect plants from UV damage and protect them from pathogens, which maximizes their survival. Anthocyanins may also be good for your health. Studies on other foods containing them have linked them to reduced inflammation, type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of cancer. They can also protect the brain from diseases like dementia. While the benefits of purple tomatoes specifically on humans are still being studied, one study in which cancer-prone rats were given a diet supplemented with purple tomatoes found that they actually grew healthier than rats given red tomatoes. survived 30 percent longer.
Future of gm
The past few years have seen a number of exciting developments in the field of GM foods, including the first genome-edited GABA tomatoes in Japan and Vitamin D-enriched tomatoes in the UK. Both were developed using the CRISPR genome-editing technology. Genetic modification can provide many benefits. This could not only help us deal with the challenges of climate change by developing more resilient crops, but also allow us to improve health and reduce the burden of many common diseases by breeding plants with higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals. can help. And, GM crops can help us ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to high-quality fresh produce that’s good for them and the environment.
GM foods are also strictly regulated in many countries, meaning that any products approved for consumption must be safe for human, plant, and animal health. The biggest challenge now is getting more governments around the world to approve these genetically modified foods for sale. Although the UK is ahead of other countries when it comes to regulation of gene-edited crops, it is currently unknown whether GM purple tomatoes will be offered for sale there. But the purple tomato is expected to be available for sale in the US by 2023.