Britain's first genetically edited (GE) foods are expected to reach supermarkets in early 2026, following new legislation introduced under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. The law allows precision-bred organisms (PBOs) to be sold in England for human food and livestock feed.
Researchers and private companies have already developed a range of GE crops, including disease-resistant potatoes, longer-lasting strawberries and bananas, sweeter lettuce, and wheat with reduced levels of asparagine, which lowers acrylamide formation during baking. From 13 November, developers can apply for approval to market GE crops, with authorisations expected to take about two months.
The products will be available only in England, as devolved administrations have not adopted the legislation. Gene editing differs from genetically modified (GM) crops because no foreign DNA is introduced. Instead, the technology alters or removes DNA to accelerate traits that could occur naturally.
Government sources told The Telegraph that the Labour administration accelerated the rollout to strengthen food security and support domestic production. Boris Johnson had previously signalled support for genetic reform in 2019, highlighting the potential for blight-resistant crops.
Industry representatives welcomed the change. Daniel Pearsall, coordinator of the Science for Sustainable Agriculture think-tank, said: "England is now ahead of every other European country in adopting more progressive regulations for these technologies, the first time in more than 30 years that new legislation has been brought forward in this country which seeks to enable, rather than to further restrict, the use of genetic innovation in agriculture."
Daniel Zeichner, minister for food security and rural affairs, added: "Precision breeding could give Britain the power to create food that's more nutritious, grow crops that can withstand our changing climate and plants that naturally resist disease – all essential for our farmers to thrive and for our nation's food security."
Under the new system, growers will notify the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of their plans to market GE products before applying to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Products will be reviewed under a two-tiered system, with Tier 1 crops considered low risk and fast-tracked, while Tier 2 crops with greater compositional changes undergo further evaluation. The FSA will make safety recommendations, but ministers will decide on approvals.
Dr Thomas Vincent, deputy director of innovation policy at the FSA, said: "We have developed a robust system for authorising the sale of precision-bred products, so the public can be confident that any products that make it through the authorisation process are safe to eat."
Source: Fresh Talk Daily
