DIR-218 Commercial release of tomato genetically modified for purple fruit colour
The proposed application
What is this application for?
The aim of the application proposed by All Aussie Avocados Pty Ltd (trading as All Aussie Farmers) is to cultivate a GM Purple Tomato in Australia. At this stage, it is proposed to be grown in commercial greenhouses. The GM tomato and its products would enter general commerce, including use in human food (see Food Standards Australia New Zealand).
How has the GM Purple Tomato been genetically modified?
The GM Purple Tomato has been modified to produce natural purple/blue pigments called anthocyanins in the fruit while it is ripening. These are the same type of pigments that are produced in some non-GM purple tomatoes and a wide variety of other foods, such as blueberries and eggplants.
The introduced genes, Delila and Rosea1, were sourced from garden snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), an edible flowering plant. These 2 genes act to switch on anthocyanin production, and they only work in the fruit of the GM Purple Tomato when it is ripening. This results in tomato fruit with purple skin and purple flesh.
The GM tomato also contains an antibiotic resistance marker gene (nptII) that was used for the selection of plants during the early stages of research. The nptII gene has been used in many GM foods that are approved for sale in Australia and overseas. It is not known to be toxic or allergenic to people or animals.
How is the GM Purple Tomato different from non-GM purple tomatoes?
You can easily tell the ripe fruit of the GM Purple Tomato from non-GM purple tomato varieties. The GM Purple Tomato has both purple skin and purple flesh, while non-GM purple tomatoes only have purple skin (although some varieties may have a darker tinge in parts of the flesh).
Has the GM Purple Tomato been approved anywhere else in the world?
In 2023, the GM Purple Tomato was approved for use in human food in the United States (US). Since 2024, the fruit has been sold in US grocery stores and seeds have also been available to home gardeners.
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