Dark purple and twice as rich in antioxidants as blueberries. But GMOs. The purple tomato has been developed.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousDark purple and twice as rich in antioxidants as blueberries. But GMOs. The purple tomato, purple / blue tomato which would have an infinite range of properties and benefits.
We had already talked about it a few years ago, when in Great Britain, at the laboratory of the John Innes Center in Norwich, experts led by the scholar Catherine Martin started the project to create hybrid tomatoes that had high levels of anthocyanins, elements present in large quantities in blackberries. and blueberries and known for their beneficial effects against inflammation and cancer.
Read also: Blueberry time, take the opportunity to eat them every day if you want to get these benefits
Furthermore, those purple tomatoes would have had the "privilege" of keeping longer, thus guaranteeing a longer shelf life.
No sooner said than done. The purple tomato is served and, according to Martin, "it could also be one of the very few GMOs (including fruit and vegetables), sold directly to consumers"
In a few months, the green light for outdoor cultivation could also arrive.
Is purple tomato special? Whoever designed it is convinced so. It definitely has more Anthocyanins, the pigments normally present in blackberries and blueberries and elements that determine their color and are also natural anti-inflammatories.
Unlike other tomatoes with a similar color that have anthocyanins only on the skin, Martin's has a sort of switch that activates its production in the pulp. In fact, his plant contains a pair of snapdragon genes that stimulate the process.
©John Innes Centre
In short, a nice mechanism of genetic modification. Martin argues from the pages of the NYT that that tomato was not designed for profit, but is grown in small batches and not on millions of acres.
However, we are left with only one question: was it really necessary?
Fonts: John Innes Center / NOW
Read also:
- "So it will be impossible to track GMOs and avoid contamination". The alarm for the organic
- And in the end, the European Commission officially opened the door to new GMOs
- Organic tomatoes richer in lycopene and vitamin C
