Gene-Edited Non-Browning Banana Could Cut Food Waste, Scientists Say (theguardian.com)
- Reference: 0176647341
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/03/08/0140247/gene-edited-non-browning-banana-could-cut-food-waste-scientists-say
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/07/gene-edited-non-browning-banana-cut-food-waste-tropic-norwich
> Many of us have been guilty of binning a mushy, overripe banana -- but now scientists say they have a solution with the launch of a genetically engineered non-browning banana. The product is the latest in a series of gene-edited fruits and vegetables designed to have a longer shelf life. Scientists say the technology is emerging as a powerful new weapon against food waste, which occurs globally on an epic scale. The banana, developed by Tropic, a biotech company based in Norwich, is said to [1]remain fresh and yellow for 12 hours after being peeled and is less susceptible to turning brown when bumped during harvesting and transportation.
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> The company has also developed a slow-ripening banana that has been approved in several countries, which it plans to launch later in the year. Other research teams are working on lettuce that wilts more slowly, bruise-resistant apples and potatoes and identifying the genes that determine how quickly grapes and blueberries shrivel. [...] The company worked out how to disable a gene responsible for the production of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which causes browning. The same gene is silenced in Arctic apples, a genetically modified variety, which has been sold in the US since 2017, and blocking the production of polyphenol oxidase has been shown to work in tomatoes, melon, kiwifruits and mushrooms. In the bananas, Tropic made precise changes to existing genes without introducing foreign genetic material.
The report notes that an [2]estimated 33% of the produce that is harvested worldwide is never consumed due to the short shelf-life of many fruit and vegetable products. Bananas are among the most thrown-away foods, with some [3]5 billion bananas tossed in the U.S. each year.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/07/gene-edited-non-browning-banana-cut-food-waste-tropic-norwich
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41438-020-00428-4#:~:text=Approximately%2033%25%20of%20the%20produce%20that%20is%20harvested%20is%20never%20consumed%20since%20these%20products%20naturally%20have%20a%20short%20shelf-life
[3] https://refed.org/press/op-ed-5-billion-bananas-get-thrown-away-each-year--how-reducing-food-waste-can-help-solve-the-climate-crisis/
Noooo they must brown for Banana Bread! (Score:1)
You must have brown ones for the best Banana Bread!!!!!
This is cool (Score:2)
I do like a good banana but the variability is annoying. Can't be too mad as access to bananas is one of those perks of modern globalism but extending the window of opportunity to not have a mushy oversweet mess is more then welcome by me, keep editing those genes.
GMO is pretty rad stuff, I hope developments like this get it's PR improved.
Anyway, [1]more tomato? [youtube.com]
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvEiFq77c3c
just don't tell Trump (Score:1)
Don't tell Trump about this, because the last time he heard about transgenic research, some mice had to be disposed of rather than used to research human related diseases.
Are shrivelled blueberries a problem? (Score:2)
In my experience, shrivelled blueberries are not only still good they have more flavor the the plump ones. Bad blueberries have mold and shrivelled blueberries are less likely to mold than plump ones. Solve the mold problem and I think you will have a winner. I'm not sure solving the shrivelling but not the mold problem will be all that helpful.
the deal with bananas (Score:1)
in my wifes country they just put ripe bananas in the fridge and they're fine to eat up to two weeks even if the skin turns black. somehow in usa we think going black from cold is a bad think, but it's BS. Just ripen first because what you refrigerate is what you'll get
B-Slices on cereal will increase. (Score:1)
This is alright, and even anti-gmo's should agree. It's just cutting off the bad part.
Great, but how does it taste? (Score:2)
If it tastes like the very mild flavor of gas ripened tomatoes then I have no interest. Heck, I don't even mind eating a banana that's still a big green. I'm bit suspicious at minimum. I notice the article doesn't say anything about the taste..