London, United Kingdom
November 19, 2008
Source: USDA/GAIN report
number: UK 8019
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200811/146306499.pdf
Report highlights:
News of a home-grown
biotech product that could deliver potential consumer health
benefits has been well-received in the UK. The UK has been
at the forefront of primary research, funded by European and
UK entities, to develop tomatoes with high levels of
anthocyanins. These are deep red pigments with antioxidant
capabilities thought to protect against a range of serious
diseases. Recent surveys in Europe and the UK have shown
that there is an increased understanding of the role that
biotech crops could play in global food security. However,
it is hoped that purple tomatoes and other “second
generation” biotech products with tangible consumer benefits
could encourage more consumers to accept GM.
Background
The debate surrounding agricultural biotechnology continues to
ebb and flow in the UK. However, there are signs that consumers
are absorbing positive messages on biotechnology. A recent UK
survey of 1,500 consumers (1)found that a substantial proportion
believe biotech can provide benefits, particularly in helping to
feed a growing world population. Although, food safety and
environmental impacts associated with the technology remain of
concern. The UK government has been more pro-active of late in
defending biotechnology as a tool needed by farmers to increase
output to feed a growing global population. The government’s
relatively vocal stance is also influenced by awareness of the
animal feed crisis that is potentially looming in Europe.
Purple Tomatoes
A UK research center has developed a biotech food product with
potential consumer benefit. The John Innes Centre in Norwich,
England (2) has developed purple tomatoes high in beneficial
anthocyanins. The antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are
thought to provide protection against a range of illnesses,
including heart disease and cancer. In tests, cancer susceptible
mice fed on a diet supplemented with high-anthocyanin tomatoes
lived longer. Anthocyanin pigments occur naturally in
blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants, but regular
tomatoes contain negligible amounts. Market research from TNS
shows only 12 per cent of the UK population meet the government
target of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. The purple
tomato research is an exciting development as consumers are more
likely to see and feel the benefit to using biotechnology in
such food applications. The aim of being used to enrich food
products widely and frequently consumed to deliver additional
health benefits.
UK scientists worked in conjunction with peers from Italy,
Germany and the Netherlands to produce high-anthocyanin tomatoes
by inserting 2 genes from the snapdragon (Antirrhinum) plant
into regular tomato plants. They also added promoter sections of
DNA that give rise to high levels of anthocyanin pigments in the
fruit, but allow plant leaves and stems to grow normally.
The research was funded under the EU's Fifth and Sixth Framework
Programs (FP5 and FP6 (3)), and by the UK’s Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC (4)). It was
published online in the journal Nature Biotechnology on 26
October, 2008 (5).
Toxicological studies will need to be carried out to ensure that
the snapdragon genes have not activated production of other,
less beneficial, chemicals. However, the researchers believe
that anthocyanins are unlikely to change the flavor of the
tomatoes.
Analysis
The advent of purple tomatoes is unlikely to cause a seismic
shift in UK consumer attitudes. However, the publicity
surrounding their successful trial will be helpful in
strengthening the more positive side of the biotech debate.
1 Institute of Grocery Distribution Consumer Survey on
Genetically Modified Foods:
IGD Consumer
Attitudes to GM Survey
2 The John Innes Centre is
an independent, world-leading research center in plant and
microbial sciences
www.jic.ac.uk
3 EU funding was provided
through two research projects that aim to explore the
contribution bioactive compounds in food can make to improving
health through diet:
a) ProFood
http://profood.ipk-gatersleben.de/
b) FLORA
http://www.flora-flavonoids.eu/cms/
4 The Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council is the UK funding agency
for research in the life sciences
www.bbsrc.ac.uk
5 Nature Biotechnology doi:
10.1038/nbt.1506
http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nbt.1506.html |
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