More than a third of all fresh strawberries that consumers buy end up getting tossed out because they’re bruised, moldy or mushy. Now, two companies have teamed up to solve this problem.
The J.R. Simplot Company and Plant Sciences Inc. plan to edit the DNA of strawberries and make these new-and-improved fruits available on the commercial market, reports Keith Ridler for the Associated Press (AP).
The goal is to modify the strawberries’ genes in a way that improves their shelf life, extends the growing season and reduces consumer waste, according to a press release. For farmers, that means they can grow healthier strawberry plants more efficiently for a greater part of the year, and the fruits that make it into our grocery baskets will stay fresh for longer.
The companies will use CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the strawberries’ genes, reports Lexi Lonas for the Hill. This technology works like the cut-and-paste command on a computer: It allows scientists to identify a gene in the strawberry and cut it out. Then, they can stitch the two ends of the gene back together or replace the old gene with a one that codes for an improvement, like longer shelf life.
