An ancient 'superfood' sent from heaven
There were debates about whether or not this super fish was safe to eat, but the FDA approved it for sale in the US in 2015. It was revoked a couple of months later, and several years of legal negotiations ensued. As of 2021, AquAdvantage Salmon was back on the market!
While seedless tomatoes cannot bring about more seedless tomatoes, they can be grown easily without the usual concern about adverse environmental conditions. They could serve as a more stable and consistent addition to supplement standard tomatoes.
A researcher at Penn State University has developed a strain of mushroom that doesn't go brown, extending its shelf life and likely reducing waste as unblemished mushrooms are more likely to sell. He achieved this through a modern form of genetic modification that isn't really genetic modification.
An altered form of a virus can be injected into a sapling banana and will grow with the banana, becoming part of its cells. The banana will start to produce the virus proteins, but not the infectious part of the virus. If you take a bite out of one of these bananas your body will start to build antibodies against the virus, just like it would with a vaccine (except it's delicious and there's far less plastic and medical waste involved).
The section of the population that faints at the sight of needles will be happy to hear that scientists have developed a new delivery method for vaccines: the humble banana. They tested out many fruits and vegetables like potatoes and carrots, but found the banana to be the superior method.
While the Flavr Savr tomato was groundbreaking as one of the first GMO products to be approved for sale, it wasn't a huge success. The tomatoes were very delicate and therefore difficult to transport undamaged. Reviews also said that there wasn't that much flavor to save... They were off the market by 1997.
They created a variety of apples whose flesh remains its original color once cut open, as it doesn't go through the same oxidation process as normal apples. Arctic Apples went on sale in the US in 2017.
British scientists have developed a breed of genetically modified hen that can produce cancer-fighting eggs! The hens have human genes added to their DNA, which can then be found in the whites of the eggs they lay.
The modified cabbages would produce scorpion poison that kills caterpillars when they bite the leaves, but they've made the toxin harmless to humans. It's a win-win (except for the caterpillars).
A team in Spain has been using CRISPR to develop a strain of wheat that can be consumed by those with celiac disease. The gene-editing technique has been used to remove the proteins in wheat that most commonly cause an adverse reaction in those with gluten intolerances.
The Flavr Savr tomato was the first commercially grown genetically modified food to be granted a license by the FDA. The modified tomato created by California-based company Calgene was approved in 1994. They were created by adding an antisense gene that was supposed to prevent the tomato from rotting and help it maintain its original color and texture.
The attractive-looking Redlove apples were developed by a Swiss plant breeder called Markus Kobelt. He had noticed that red-fleshed apples looked beautiful, but had an unpleasant sour taste. Kobelt spent 20 years crossbreeding apple varieties to create the perfect appearance and taste.
Instead of adding foreign DNA to the mushroom, elements of genes are simply deleted through gene editing. The tool used to complete this process is called CRISPR, and is being used to alter a number of food products. As no new DNA is added in the process, foods altered using CRISPR aren't subject to the same testing and scrutiny as GMO products.
A company called AquaBounty Technologies has developed a genetically modified species of salmon that grows twice as fast as normal. The growth process in salmon is only active for half the year, but the so-called "AquAdvantage Salmon" experiences growth all-year-round.
In fact, Kobelt has come up with several varieties of delicious red-fleshed apples now! The Redlove Odysso apple is particularly large and has a mild taste. The Redlove Era has a unique berry flavor!
Sunions, the first tearless onion variety, has hit the shelves in the UK. They were created by crossbreeding mild varieties of onions until they made one that was safe for even the most sensitive eyes. The onions are said to be sweet in flavor and can be used raw in salads.
Chopping onions is hands down the worst part of food prep. Many people find their eyes start streaming, making it almost impossible to keep chopping safely! None of the tips or tricks seem to work, but finally there's an alternative.
Pre-sliced apples are a convenient, healthy snack to take with you for the day, except for the fact that they turn brown almost immediately. A company called Okanagan Specialty Fruits developed their Arctic Apples to solve this very problem.
British researchers are working on a new strain of purple tomato that is densely packed with nutrients commonly found in dark berries. Trials on cancer-prone mice showed that the mice that consumed the purple tomato lived significantly longer.
Bt-corn is a type of genetically modified corn that has been developed to act as its own pesticide, reducing the need for potentially harmful chemical pesticides.
The FDA has deemed Bt-corn to be nutritionally equivalent to regular corn. It can be used in everything from tortilla chips to the ever-present high fructose corn syrup.
The studies are still ongoing as the death rate of the genetically modified cows was high, and there are obvious issues with performing human trials to determine its safety for newborn babies.
Sources: (The Guardian) (TreeHugger) (Kansas Living) (BuzzFeed)
See also: Things you think are eco-friendly—but really aren't
These magical tomatoes are still a work in progress, but research suggests that they have anti-inflammatory properties and could slow down soft-tissue carcinoma. Their shelf life is also twice that of normal tomatoes!
Click through this gallery to discover some of the most amazing genetically modified foods that are making their way to the mainstream.
Surprising genetically modified foods now available
From the frivolous to the fantastic
FOOD Gmo
Genetically modified foods are grown from living organisms that have been artificially engineered in a lab, resulting in a variety that doesn't occur in nature. Some of the new traits created in these products reflect the basic needs of the food supply chain, such as vegetables that produce their own insect-repellent or fruits that take much longer to spoil. These modifications are already incredible, but there are scientists out there with much grander plans! Delivering a life-saving vaccine with a bite of a banana or treating cancer with tomatoes, for example.
Click through this gallery to discover some of the most amazing genetically modified foods that are making their way to the mainstream.