Purple Tomatoes: Genetically Modified Foods
What are Transgenic Plants?
Selectively developing traits in plant species has been an established pratice for many years. While this was previously achieved through selective breeding, scientists are now able to achieve more efficient results in the lab through genetically engineering technology. Transgenic plants (TP) are a type of genetically modified plants, where new genes/traits are introduced into a plants genome from an unrelated plant or species through conventional breeding or gene insertion. Transgenic plants show potential in decreasing malnutrition and enhancing human health through their increase in bioavailability of essential nutrients and proves to be an ideal solution for food security.
However, despite these present issues, countries have implementing protectionist schemes against genetically modified (GM) plants. The implications of these actions can be seen throughout widescale malnutrition continuing to exist predominantly in the developing world.
Find out more on GM plantsWhy a Purple Tomato?
Tomatoes are a staple food crop that has been researched as a viable
option for genetic modification. Researchers from the John Innes
Centre introduced (transformed) a gene from anythocyanin-producing
snapdragon into wildtype tomatoes, to increase the production of
anthocyanin in the tomatoe skin. Anthocyanins offer protection against
certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and age-related degenerative
diseases, along with other known health benefits. The levels of
anthocyanins obtained in the transgenic tomato resulted in
health-promotion where purple tomato fed mice experienced an averaged
increase in life expectancy of around 37 days.
Watch this video
to learn more about purple tomatoes and then have a go at the quiz!