GMO tomato.

Japan’s First Genome-Edited Food, a Tomato, Gets Green Light for Distribution

A gene-edited tomato that is intended to have a biological effect on consumers has been approved in Japan for commercial sale – without safety checks or GMO labelling. The tomato is genetically engineered to contain higher than usual amounts of GABA, a substance that is said to have the ability to lower blood pressure.

January 23, 2021 | Source: GM Watch | by

Tomato is designed to have biological effects on consumers – but there’s no safety data or GMO labelling

A gene-edited tomato that is intended to have a biological effect on consumers has been approved in Japan for commercial sale – without safety checks or GMO labelling. The tomato is genetically engineered to contain higher than usual amounts of GABA, a substance that is said to have the ability to lower blood pressure.

As a precaution, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to avoidtaking GABA supplements due to the absence of safety data. Yet this GM high-GABA tomato has been approved for sale without any safety testing and likely without GMO labelling. Let’s hope it’s at least product/variety-labelled as high-GABA. Otherwise, how pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to avoid this risky food is anyone’s guess.

Consumer groups are protesting against the approval of the tomato – see item 2 below.

1. Japan’s first genome-edited food item, a tomato, gets green light for distribution

2. Letter sent to Sanatech Seed from Consumers Union of Japan, No! GMO Campaign