Who invented gm tomatoes

By introducing additional plant genes—such as the enzymes necessary for the production of resveratrol in grapes—the plants can be engineered to produce specific compounds that are thought to have certain nutritional or health benefits. Broadening the debate As well as being a good way to produce large quantities of the target nutrients, Martin says the tomatoes could potentially be sold for consumption down the line.

This we are doing with high anthocyanin tomato juice which has well-proven protective effects. Martin adds that the AtMYB12 gene could also be engineered into other fruits, and potentially certain vegetables where the products could be accumulated in a storage organ such as a tuber. This article is reproduced with permission from Chemistry World.

The article was first published on October 30, Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. M37 Unknown. More options. Find it at other libraries via WorldCat Limited preview. Bibliography Includes bibliographical references p. Summary In a little biotech firm called Calgene introduced the Flavr Savr TM tomato, the first genetically engineered food ever brought to market.

Like most scientists working in agricultural biotechnology, the people who created the Flavr Savr TM hoped eventually to develop more important crops, ones that would be higher yielding or insect and disease resistant, thus enabling farmers to feed more people and reduce their dependence on dangerous chemicals.

But the people at Calgene knew that before genetic engieering could reform high-tech agriculture, it would first have to achieve acceptance by the public. So they started with the Flavr Savr TM , a tomato whose rot-initiating gene was turned off. The idea was that the modified fruits would retain enough firmness so they could be left on the vine until they began to ripen.

The strategy was to win American consumers' tomato-loving hearts with the "summertime taste" of the Flavr Savr TM , and the rest would follow. Belinda Martineau served on the scientific team that developed the Flavr Savr TM , and when Calgene voluntarily submitted its product for FDA and USDA approval, Martineau provided most of the scientific evidence that led to it certification as safe for human consumption.

Martineau concurred with Calgene's belief that the approval process would inform the public of the pros and cons of genetically modified foods. Yet ultimately the process of engineering the Flavr Savr TM and bringing it to market made her question the validity of the product.

PDF KB. Circa BCE Humans use traditional modification methods like selective breeding and cross-breeding to breed plants and animals with more desirable traits. This policy describes how the U. Not all are still available for sale.

Genetic engineering is a process that involves:. Fact Sheet. The following example gives a general idea of the steps it takes to create a GMO plant. To produce a GMO plant, scientists first identify what trait they want that plant to have, such as resistance to drought, herbicides, or insects. Then, they find an organism plant, animal, or microorganism that already has that trait within its genes. In this example, scientists wanted to create insect-resistant corn to reduce the need to spray pesticides.

They identified a gene in a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis Bt , which produces a natural insecticide that has been in use for many years in traditional and organic agriculture.