Experts Provide Updates and Potential of Gene-edited Fruits and Vegetables

China Agricultural University researchers published a review article on the development and prospect of gene-edited fruits and vegetables in the Food Quality and Safety journal.

Gene editing technology offers tools such as CRISPR, TALENs, and ZFNs, which allow precise changes in plant or animal genomes to improve traits. Applications of these tools can lead to increased yields, improved nutritional value, and enhanced stress resistance. The article includes a list of gene-edited fruits and vegetables and the technology.

TALENs, short for transcription activator-like effector nucleases, can be designed to target specific genes more accurately than ZFNs, and this reduces the risk of unintentional changes to other parts of the genome. This technique has developed the following products: soybean oil with no trans fats and low in saturated fats, improved alfalfa mildew-resistant wheat, and non-browning potatoes.

The authors stressed that some challenges must be addressed before gene-edited foods can be widely adopted. These include safety research, international regulatory differences, and public perception and acceptance.

Read the open-access article for more information.