ExclusiveGM Purple Tomato, Healthy Or Not? #frontpageshow #frontpageexclusive

There's a new controversial product on the market called the Genetically Modified, or GM, Purple Tomato. Unlike previous GM crops primarily targeted at commercial producers, this tomato is the first GM food crop that is directly targeted to home gardeners in the United States. This offers an opportunity for individuals to engage in biotechnology in their own backyard. Yet both consumers and scientists have been excited and skeptical about this novel creation which claims to boost antioxidant levels. Biotech investors hope that it can usher in a new era of public trust in genetically engineered foods. However, skeptics worry that the near total lack of regulation or review in the tomatoes may hide dangers to human health and or the environment. The GM Purple Tomato was engineered by scientists for Norfolk Plant Sciences. The project, which was led by biochemist Kathy Martin, aimed to enhance the nutritional profile of tomatoes by harnessing the natural properties of anthocyanins that are found in blueberries and blackberries. Martin and her colleagues, through genetic engineering, inserted two genes responsible for purple coloration in edible snapdragon flowers into tomato plants. This process enabled the tomatoes to express the snapdragon genes and subsequently produce high levels of anthocyanins. This imbued tomatoes with a distinctive purple hue and potentially enhanced health benefits. According to Norfolk Healthy Produce, the U.S. subsidiary of Norfolk Plant Services, purple tomatoes are a rich source of antioxidants. This is because of the increased anthocyanin content. While domesticated tomatoes contain anthocyanins in their skin, the purple tomatoes contain anthocyanins throughout their entire bodies. The genesis of the GM Purple Tomato marks a significant milestone in agricultural biotechnology. Norfolk Healthy Produce says that more than 13,000 purple tomato seed orders have already been shipped. So what are the major safety concerns and health claims? Norfolk Plant Sciences submitted data to the FDA that demonstrates various safety tests were conducted. However, critics argue that the tests are insufficient to guarantee purple tomato safety for human consumption. According to an FDA memo dated June 13, 2023, tests conducted by Norfolk Plant Sciences mainly focused on six areas. Of those, four were relatively straightforward, while two raised safety concerns among experts. So many experts have called for a more comprehensive safety assessment. This was because of the lack of safety testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the FDA. In addition, this is because of the reliance on data that was generated by the company that would profit from product approval. Geneticists Michael Antonio expressed concern because Norfolk Plant Sciences did not assess possible damage to the entire genome. Antonio warned, We must bear in mind that the GM transformation process will inevitably give rise to hundreds if not thousands of sites of unintended DNA damage, mutations. These wide-scale mutations can change patterns of gene function and alter biochemistry and composition with unknown downstream health consequences. The purple tomato also raises another questionable issue. Norfolk Plant Sciences, in conjunction with Kathy Martin, published a pilot feeding study in 2008 in Nature Biotechnology. The study examines the effects of purple tomato supplementation on the lifespan of cancer-prone mice. According to the study, mice fed GM tomatoes lived longer. This was by an average of 40 days longer than those fed non-GM red tomatoes. So the publication of the pilot study prompted the John Enos Center to publish a press release that was titled Purple Tomatoes May Keep Cancer at Bay. Unsurprisingly, that unproven health claim led to a frenzy of media headlines perpetuating the cancer-fighting tomato narrative. This included, Purple tomato can beat cancer, published by the Daily Express, and scientists' unsubstantiated health claims have resurfaced again. For example, Matty Hall, the CEO of Living Carbon posted on ex-Big Purple Tomato, However, the UK's National Health Services, the NHS, stated that the health claims are not based on benefits that are documented in humans, but instead are from a small-scale study of mice, according to an article that was published in NHS Choices. The small sample sizes used mean the results may have occurred by chance. Also, until the tomato is tested in humans, we cannot be sure that it will offer the same benefits or that there will be any unexpected harms. In addition, excessive consumption of anthocyanin may pose an unexpected harm. While it is commonly believed that antioxidants are beneficial and more is better, Cancer Research UK suggests that this assumption lacks scientific support. So what would be the solution to this? Using traditional breeding techniques, purple tomatoes with high anthocyanin levels have already been developed without genetic modification. The esteemed Black Zebra and Black Beauty are just two of the heirloom purple tomato varieties available to growers. Furthermore, in 2011, Jim Myers, a plant breeder and professor at Oregon State University, released the first traditionally bred purple tomato with boosted anthocyanin levels. This is according to an article that was published by the Oregon State University. The wild tomatoes used in the breeding program contain anthocyanins within their fruits. This is unlike their domesticated counterparts which typically contain the compounds in their plant structures. Myers argues that this is a crucial point. Year after year, Myers and his team crossed genes, often by hand, from wild tomatoes with modern varieties. This was until higher anthocyanin levels could be found in the fruit. Over two decades since the inception of this breeding program, the indigo cultivars have proliferated to over 50 varieties worldwide with both small-scale farmers and large corporations growing them. The availability of these alternatives shows how traditional breeding methods can address nutritional needs and enhance agricultural diversity without genetic modification. With the launch of the GM purple tomato, agriculture biotechnology reached a new milestone. This is because the GM purple tomato is the first GM seed to be marketed directly to consumers. Yet in the midst of such fervor and excitement, it is important not to lose sight of the complexities and uncertainties associated with new innovations. So several questions remain about its safety, efficacy, and long-term effects on human health and the environment. We need transparency, evidence-based decision making, and public engagement for fostering informed dialogue among scientists, policy makers, and consumers in order to shape the future of agriculture and food supply.