A mix-up over bioengineered tomato seeds sparked fears about spread of GMO crops
APRIL 28, 2024
'The Purple Galaxy Tomato splashed across the cover of this season's Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog: a closeup of a blackish-purple tomato speckled with tiny pink dots. Next to it, sits a sliced open fruit, revealing deep fuchsia seeds and flesh.
"This beauty is believed to be the first — and the purplest — non-GMO purple tomato in the universe!" read the catalog copy.
Only problem? The seeds actually may have been a GMO variety, the recently released Purple Tomato, created using genes from a snapdragon flower by Norfolk Healthy Produce.
The mix-up has caused consternation for the heirloom seed company that prides itself on offering rare and organic varieties and takes a firm stance against GMO crops. And it's triggered debate about biodiversity and what can happen with GMO seeds when they begin to spread.
When news of a non-GMO purple-fleshed tomato variety first started circulating on social media last fall, some scientists and tomato enthusiasts weren't so sure.
Gardeners can now grow a genetically modified purple tomato made with snapdragon DNA
SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS
Gardeners can now grow a genetically modified purple tomato made with snapdragon DNA
"I had discussions with colleagues about it, and all of us just looked at it and said, well, that's the GMO tomato," says David Francis, a professor of horticulture and crop science at the Ohio State University who specializes in tomato breeding and genetics.
Traditional plant breeders to date have not been able to create a purple-fleshed tomato with cross pollination. Purple skin, yes? Purple flesh, not so much.
But using recombinant DNA technology, scientists in the United Kingdom had developed a purple-fleshed tomato high in antioxidants. It was recently approved for sale and consumption in the United States.
After Nathan Pumplin, CEO of Norfolk Healthy Produce, saw Instagram videos of the heirloom seed company's Purple Galaxy tomato, he contacted Baker Creek. And here's where the story gets murky.
John Brazaitis, general manager of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds says their seeds were developed by a hobby breeder in France where growing GMOs is banned. Brazaitis says they tested for NPTII, a common marker for GMOs, but didn't specifically test for the snapdragon genes.
After some correspondence and disagreement about the testing, Baker Creek pulled the seeds from its collection and destroyed its stock.
(More in this article of interest.)
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/04/28/1244374630/gmo-purple-tomato-seeds-baker-creek-controversy