Does it disturb anyone else that only after it is going to be
made available to the general public will they be doing trial
studies on the validity of it's claims? Not to mention the safety
issues of the genetic mutation that has been triggered in these
tomatoes?
One wonders why these tests were not done before exposing the general public to their GMO creation?
~Desert Rose~
.....
© Flickr.com/Daniel*1977/cc-by-nc-sa 3.0
Genetically
modified purple tomatoes created to battle against cancer have been
grown and harvested in Leamington, Ontario, Canada. The purple
vegetables have been altered so that they contain larger doses of
anthocyanins—the very same antioxidant that is present in blackberries
and plums. Anthocyanins are believed to fight against cancer.
In
Leamington the acclaimed tomato capital of Canada, New Energy Farms
planted and grew the vegetable for plant biologist Cathie Martin. She is
a professor at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK. “It looks very
similar to normal tomato crops. You really wouldn’t know any difference,
apart from the color of the fruit,” New Energy Farms CEO Paul Carver
said.
The unusual looking tomatoes were grown in a
controlled environment in a greenhouse, then hand selected. The juice
was squeezed out of the vegetables while the seeds and plants were lit
on fire as a preventative measure to shield against cross-contamination.
Come
early February, the estimated 528 gallons of purple tomato juice will
be sent off to British heart patients. Besides anthocyanins being
cancer-fighting, the special element in the tomatoes also battles
cardiovascular disease.
"When mice [with cancer] were
fed a diet supplemented with purple tomatoes, they lived 30 percent
longer than those with a diet supplemented with red tomatoes,” Martin
said. She revealed that the purple tomatoes also have anti-inflammatory
properties.
Research shows “complementary health
advantages for people diagnosed with major chronic disease, particularly
cancer. We’re not saying this is a standalone therapy,” she said.
Since
European rules for genetically modified foods are much stricter, it was
easier to grow the tomatoes in Canada. “Canada was an unbelievably good
choice because you have a very enlightened view of regulatory
approval,” Martin said, “It was easier to do this in Canada than
elsewhere.”
Voice of Russia, Cbc.ca
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By David Shukman Science editor, BBC News
The new tomatoes could improve the nutritional value of everyday foods
The prospect of genetically modified purple tomatoes reaching the shelves has come a step closer.
Their dark pigment is intended to give tomatoes the same potential health benefits as fruit such as blueberries.
Developed
in Britain, large-scale production is now under way in Canada with the
first 1,200 litres of purple tomato juice ready for shipping.
The pigment, known as anthocyanin, is an antioxidant which studies on animals show could help fight cancer.
Scientists say the new tomatoes could improve the nutritional value of everything from ketchup to pizza topping.
The
tomatoes were developed at the John Innes Centre in Norwich where Prof
Cathie Martin hopes the first delivery of large quantities of juice will
allow researchers to investigate its potential.
"With these
purple tomatoes you can get the same compounds that are present in
blueberries and cranberries that give them their health benefits - but
you can apply them to foods that people actually eat in significant
amounts and are reasonably affordable," she said.
I hope this will serve as a vanguard product where people can have access to something that is GM but has benefits for them”
Prof Cathie Martin John Innes Centre in Norwich
The
tomatoes are part of a new generation of GM plants designed to appeal
to consumers - the first types were aimed specifically at farmers as new
tools in agriculture.
The purple pigment is the result of the
transfer of a gene from a snapdragon plant - the modification triggers a
process within the tomato plant allowing the anthocyanin to develop.
Although
the invention is British, Prof Martin says European Union restrictions
on GM encouraged her to look abroad to develop the technology.
Canadian
regulations are seen as more supportive of GM and that led to a deal
with an Ontario company, New Energy Farms, which is now producing enough
purple tomatoes in a 465 square metre (5,000sq ft) greenhouse to make
2,000 litres (440 gallons) of juice.
According to Prof Martin, the Canadian system is "very enlightened".
"They
look at the trait not the technology and that should be a way we start
changing our thinking - asking if what you're doing is safe and
beneficial, not 'Is it GM and therefore we're going to reject it
completely'.
"It is frustrating that we've had to go to Canada to
do a lot of the growing and the processing and I hope this will serve as
a vanguard product where people can have access to something that is GM
but has benefits for them."
The first 1,200 litres are due to be
shipped to Norwich shortly - and because all the seeds will have been
removed, there is no genetic material to risk any contamination.
Read More Here
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