GM Foods: Purple Tomatoes and Snapdragons

A Washington Post article recently examined both sides of the bioengineered food conundrum. While genetically modified consumer products are still years away from being served up for dinner, researchers in the U.K. have made strides with the development of a purple tomato that contains high levels of beneficial anthocyanins.

However, some in the industry view today's GM crops as a problem rather than a solution, saying that while biotechnology could someday help increase the yields of staple crops and make them more resistant to climatic stress, foods modified for nutritional benefits have fared poorly and can be produced better by conventional methods.

The article stated that unlike the explosion in biotechnology to protect crops from insects and weeds, these modified consumer products are in the relatively early stages of development, and there is seldom much money supporting their research.

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The Washington Post: Extra-Nutritious Bioengineered Foods Still Years Away