Anti-oxidant-rich purple tomatoes that reportedly could help to slow the ravages of aging are to be sold in British supermarkets for the first time. They are non-GM.
Once again, non-GM breeding has succeeded in delivering results while the much-hyped GM purple tomatoes from the John Innes Centre seemingly haven't even been safety tested or agronomically tested to see how well they perform for growers.
There are many more non-GMO breeding successes here:
http://gmwatch.org/index.php/articles/non-gm-successes
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Anti-ageing tomatoes get colourful makeover
Oliver Moody
The Times (UK), May 31 2014
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/science/article4104967.ece
* The purple pigment, known as anthocyanin, is an antioxidant
Purple tomatoes that could help to slow the ravages of aging are to be sold in British supermarkets for the first time.
Bred by scientists from the US, the tomatoes contain an antioxidant that is claimed to have the same health benefits as those found in blueberries.
Three varieties will go on sale this week in Marks and Spencer for Ł1.80 a pack. They are grown on the Isle of Wight, where the comparatively high number of hours of sunshine has fostered a flourishing industry in the fruit.
Their purple pigment, known as anthocyanin, is an antioxidant and resembles older South American strains of the tomato, which were originally more bitter in flavour until they were crossed with other species.
Researchers at the University of Oregon claim that the antioxidant chemicals could add to the nutritional value of any food products based on the tomatoes, including ketchup.
They were first bred as part of a programme to improve diets in poor countries.