Tomatoes that boost the body's vitamin D could be among the first gene-edited crops allowed on sale in England. Researchers in Norwich created the plants by turning off a specific molecule in their genetic code. A bill will be introduced on Wednesday the 25th of May to allow for the commercial growing of gene-edited crops in England.
The technique is currently not used for food production in the UK because of rules set by the EU, but Brexit has enabled the UK to set its own rules. One in six people in the UK has a vitamin D deficiency, which is vital to strong bones and muscles and helps reduce the risk of cancer.
Prof Cathie Martin, who led the research at the John Innes Centre, said that the development, published in Nature Plants, could be hugely beneficial.
"With humans, half an hour in the sunshine every day is enough to make enough vitamin D. But a lot of people don't have that time outside, and that's why they need supplements. The tomatoes themselves could provide another source of vitamin D in their diet."
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