Gene-edited tomatoes could soon be sold in England
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Loading... - Kylie Smith
- 24 May 2022
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Researchers in Norwich created the plants by turning off a specific molecule in their genetic code.
A bill will be introduced on Wednesday to allow commercial growing of gene-edited crops in England.
The technique is currently not used for food production in the UK because of rules set by the EU but Brexit has enabled the UK to set its own rules.
One in six people in the UK are deficient in vitamin D, which is vital to strong bones and muscles and helps reduce risk of cancer.
Prof Cathie Martin, who led the research at the John Innes Centre, said that the development, published in Nature Plants, could be hugely beneficial.
"With humans, half an hour in the sunshine every day is enough to make enough vitamin D. But a lot of people don't have that time outside and that's why they need supplements. The tomatoes themselves could provide another source of vitamin D in their diet."
If government legislation gets through Parliament successfully, the vitamin-boosting fruits could be among the first gene-edited crops allowed on supermarket shelves in England.
Gene editing is a relatively recent technology. It involves switching genes on and off by snipping out a small section of the plant's DNA. The older technique of genetic modification involves putting genes in, sometimes from a completely different species.
EU restrictions mean both methods have been effectively banned in Europe for a quarter century.
Both methods are used in other countries, to produce food. But the EU set stringent regulations on GM crops 25 years ago because of safety concerns and public opposition to the technology. Gene-edited crops are covered by the same regulations.
The UK currently follows European Union regulations on both technologies.
Any new GM or GE crop must undergo a scientific safety assessment, which can take around five years. Plant breeders believe that to be too onerous and expensive and so do not invest in the technology in Europe. In addition, any new variety that passes the EU's safety tests must then be approved by a majority at the European Parliament.
Plant breeders believe that political opposition is too strong for the approval of new GM or GE varieties. The regulations, say the plant industry, effectively prevented the commercial production of GM foods in Europe.
The UK government has decided that gene editing is safe to use and is to introduce a bill on Wednesday to allow its commercial development in England. The regulations on GM crops will not be relaxed at this stage. Read More…
