US regulators give GM purple tomato approval after 14 years

09 Sep 2022 --- A British spin-off science company has been given the green light from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its GM purple tomato after a long-running varietal project. And, now this could pave the way for GM to continue research into increasing the health benefits of whole foods. Its goal is to find ways of commercializing its research into foods with enhanced healthy compounds for consumers.

The USDA approved the sale of Norfolk Plant Sciences (NPS) nutrition-dense purple tomato seeds for spring 2023. A Regulatory Status Review states that the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) determined that “the modified tomato is unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk relative to its comparator.”

The purple tomato was created to bring a “nutritionally enhanced tomato” to the public. It was finalized in 2008, and the creators have been trying to obtain regulatory approval since.

Cathie Martin, a professor at the John Innes Center, created the tomato while researching there. She went on to found NPS with professor Johnathan Jones, of The Sainsbury Laboratory. The two tried to secure their product in the marketplace but encountered many unexpected obstacles. 

Striving for improved health
Martin built the purple tomato by engineering a precise genetic “on switch” derived from an edible flower. The yield was an anthocyanin-rich tomato safe for human consumption. 

According to the research, implementing the GM tomatoes in the diet of cancer-prone mice can extend their lifespan by 30%. 

Creators of the purple tomato look to be approved by other countries. The increase in lifespan can be attributed to the high-anthocyanin levels in the tomato. Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidant associated with many health benefits that can be helpful for an anti-inflammatory diet and more.

Even though purple-skinned tomato varieties already exist, they do not contain the advantageous levels of these healthy compounds within the fruit. 

The US prepares for purple
According to NPS, hundreds of people in the US have already expressed interest via the Big Purple Tomato website. 

“This is fantastic. I never thought I would see this day. We are one step closer to my dream of sharing healthy purple tomatoes with the many people excited to eat them,” exclaims Martin.

Though it took 14 years to gain the approval of the USDA, the CEO of Norfolk Plant Sciences’ US-based commercial business, Nathan Pumplin, is excited about the effects it will have on his company and other scientists creating enhanced foods. 

“The decision shows how the updates to APHIS regulatory framework will enable independent scientists and small companies to develop and compete on the market with better products to benefit consumers and climate. We are optimistic that we can begin limited distribution of purple tomatoes in the US in 2023, he adds. 

Looking to the UK 
While those involved with the purple tomato celebrate their win in the US, they still look to other countries. 

Martin and Jones did not expect their crop to take as long as it did to be approved for sale. They expected more significant expansion sooner, namely in the UK, where the product was developed. 

However, strict guidelines and regulations on genetically modified foods ensured delays, and are still barricading the tomato from being sold in other countries. 

“When Cathie and I founded NPS nearly 15 years ago to bring to market health-promoting, genetically enhanced purple tomatoes, invented in the UK, we never thought it would take so long to obtain regulatory approval. This is a red-letter day for crop improvement,” says Jones.

“The bittersweet thing is that the tomatoes will be on sale in America and not the UK. But on the plus side, by focusing on home growers, we will be consumer-oriented and able to get feedback and interest needed to develop other products,” says Martin. 

Edited by Sabine Waldeck