It is estimated that a third of the produce that is harvested worldwide is never consumed and goes to waste. Bananas are no exception, in fact, around 60% of exported bananas are lost before they ever reach the consumer. The gene edited banana is said to be able to maintain its freshness and vibrant yellow colour for up to 12 hours after peeling, significantly longer than a typical banana, which browns within a few hours. This has great potential to significantly reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, thus alleviating climate change.
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Without introducing foreign genetic material, researchers at the agritech company based in Norwich [UK] have managed to increase the shelf life of bananas by targeting genes that control ripening and browning. In doing so, the company believes non-browning bananas could “reduce food waste and CO2 emissions along the supply chain by more than 25%”[.]
