Call for comment on GM purple tomato

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food derived from genetically modified (GM) tomato lines.

The GM Purple Tomato has been modified to contain the Del and Ros1-N genes from the snapdragon plant (Antirrhinum majus), which enable it to produce natural blue pigments (anthocyanins) as it ripens, resulting in both purple skin and flesh.

The FSANZ safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns with food derived from purple tomato lines containing event Del/Ros1-N. It states it is as safe as food from conventional tomato varieties.

If approved, the GM Purple Tomato will be sold fresh, as a whole tomato, or used as an ingredient in processed food products such as sun-dried tomatoes or pastes.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said this is the sixth genetically modified food being assessed through the shared process with Health Canada, which streamlines approvals while maintaining the FSANZ safety standards.

“If approved, food from these tomato lines would need to be labelled as genetically modified under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed choices,” Cuthbert said.

This application relates only to the use of the GM Purple Tomato as food in Australia and New Zealand. An application for commercial cultivation of the GM Purple Tomato in Australia is being assessed by the Gene Technology Regulator.

Cultivation in New Zealand would require separate approval by the Environmental Protection Authority. The importation of viable seeds into either country is subject to separate biosecurity and quarantine requirements.

To comment on this application, visit the FSANZ Consultation Hub.

Image credit: iStock.com/Aliaksandr Bahdanovich. Image for illustrative purposes only.