Davis, California and Barcelona,
Spain
October 30, 2008
Use of advanced screening and
breeding techniques can deliver better-tasting, longer-lasting
produce
Arcadia Biosciences, Inc.,
an agricultural technology company focused on developing
technologies and products that benefit the environment and human
health, and Semillas Fito,
a leading European seed company and one of the oldest seed
companies in the Mediterranean, today announced a research and
commercial development agreement for extended shelf-life
tomatoes. Under the agreement, Semillas Fito has an exclusive
license to utilize Arcadia technology and proprietary germplasm
for the development and commercialization of extended shelf-life
tomatoes. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Because tomatoes are a perishable fruit often produced in areas
distant from consumer markets, increasing tomato shelf-life,
overall quality, and taste is a constant challenge to the
industry. The development of extended shelf-life tomatoes using
TILLING® technology can enable breeders to select better-tasting
tomato varieties for commercial sale. Because TILLING®
technology is a tool to identify natural variation within
plants, tomatoes developed under this agreement will be non-GMO.
"The development of tomatoes with improved shelf-life will
benefit both consumers and producers," said Eric Rey, president
and CEO of Arcadia. "For consumers, it will mean better flavor
and less waste from spoilage after purchase, and for producers
it will lead to the ability to provide a better quality product
with less waste. Semillas Fito is an ideal partner for us
because of their proven breeding capabilities, proprietary
germplasm, and access to key world markets."
"Although long shelf life (LSL) tomatoes are already available
in the market, this is the very first time the approach to LSL
does not spoil the flavor, which will allow us to create unique
products. Working with Arcadia on this project is the easiest
way to speed up the process and create synergies between
classical breeding and new biotechnology tools," said Eduard
Fito, Vegetables Seeds Unit director of Semillas Fito.
The companies expect that the first new varieties could be
commercially available by 2011.
Based in Davis, Calif., with additional facilities in
Seattle, Wash. and Phoenix, Ariz., Arcadia Biosciences is an
agricultural biotechnology company focused on the development of
agricultural products that improve the environment and enhance
human health. For more information, visit
www.arcadiabio.com
Semillas Fito is one of the oldest and largest seed companies in
the Mediterranean region whose main focus is the research and
development of new plant varieties. The economic and human
resources devoted by the company to research and development are
the highest of any Spanish agribusiness company. For more
information visit
www.semillasfito.com
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