As we learn more and more about what genes work and what doesn't. It's always exciting and fun to use gene to satisfying our taste buds desires. It's always annoying eating an apple only to bite into it having browning developing, or wishing you can have more bite out of your apple. The solution of your desire have been solved. Scientist have developed a apple that does not brown, and was recently approved by the FDA and USDA as safe for consumption. I know your thinking how? Scientist and researchers have being working on a way to stop the development of browning of apples decades.
There is polyphneol oxidase enzyme(PPO), which is released inside the structure of the apple that interacts with the polyphenols and oxygen, this is the cause of the browning. The PPO and the polyphenols are usually separated but mishandling of the apple(throwing,crushed, or drop) causes the interaction between the three. To combat this, scientist developed an anti-PPO gene, they used RNA interference to destroy specific RNA structures that produced the PPO. Now we have an apple that can be tossed, crushed, or accidental dropped,and still be perfectly clear in the inside.
That's so cool! This will be so effective in countries that have food insecurity. They won't have to worry about product going bad. Hopefully this can become available to them.
ReplyDeleteMuch like the comment above, I'm also intrigued by the capabilities this would have in offering fresh foods like these to areas facing food insecurity. Hopefully technology like this is utilized in that manner!
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, the effect things like this could have on food waste would be great. So many people believe throwing out fruits holds little impact but within a landfill, even a banana can become embalmed for decades.
This is a great idea and something that I've never heard of! The comments above make a great point of suggesting how this can be used in countries that have food insecurity and will help limit food waste.
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