Scientists have developed a genetically engineered non-browning banana designed to combat food waste, lasting longer after peeling and being less prone to browning. This innovation targets the substantial global food waste problem, particularly among bananas, where up to 50% are discarded. Tropic, the biotech firm behind the banana, highlights the need for such developments as conventional breeding is ineffective due to bananas' asexual reproduction. The company also plans to release a slow-ripening banana and other produce innovations aimed at reducing waste.
The genetically engineered non-browning banana aims to tackle food waste by lasting 12 hours after peeling and being more resilient during transport.
Globally, an estimated 33% of harvested produce is wasted due to perishability; the new banana could significantly reduce this impact.
With 50% of bananas never eaten, the biotech solution from Tropic could change how we handle our food waste crisis.
Commercially grown bananas lack seeds and cannot be hybridized, making gene editing the only way to adapt bananas for better shelf life.
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