Will ‘neophobia’ kill the newly-developed gene-edited, non-browning banana

When a banana is bruised, cut, or peeled, enzymes trigger a chemical cascade that ends in melanin, the same pigment that colors human hair. Those brown patches are technically harmless, but they’re responsible for throwing away nearly one-third of all bananas grown worldwide — roughly 5 billion bananas in the U.S. alone every year.

This is where the new banana comes in.

…

Researchers at Tropic Biosciences, a UK-based biotech firm, have used CRISPR/Cas9 … to delete the specific gene responsible for browning. Without that gene, the fruit’s flesh stays creamy-yellow for at least 12 hours after peeling.

The invention … would be the first new commercial type of banana in over half a century.

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Interestingly, this banana isn’t classified as a GMO under most definitions. While GMOs involve adding foreign DNA, the CRISPR-edited banana simply removes a small stretch of its own genetic code. 

Ultimately, the fate of this innovation will be decided by consumers. … Western buyers remain wary of anything “genetically modified.” Perceived safety, not science, will likely decide its fate.

Overcoming food neophobia (the innate fear of new foods) remains a challenge.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here