Full Breakdown
Gene-Edited Bananas Approved for Sale in Britain
By Drooid · · How we work
How the Bananas Were Developed
Tropic, an agricultural-biotechnology firm based in Norwich, used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit all three copies of a single gene that encodes polyphenol oxidase, the enzyme responsible for browning. The edit reduces enzyme production, allowing the fruit’s flesh to stay yellow for one to two days longer after peeling, and even longer when chilled. The company reports that the bananas retain the same taste and texture as conventional varieties.
Regulatory Pathway and Approval Status
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) recently issued a marketing notice confirming the bananas’ “precision-bred” status, one of two criteria required for market placement. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), precision-bred status is granted only when the genetic changes could have been achieved through conventional breeding, distinguishing the product from genetically modified organisms that contain DNA from unrelated species. Prof Cathie Martin of the John Innes Centre notes that the next step is an FSA safety review, the timeline for which remains unclear. The approval marks the first market authorisation for a precision-bred organism in England, though the rules apply only to England; the FSA says approved products may be sold in Wales and Scotland if not further processed. Tropic has already secured regulatory clearance for the bananas in ten other countries, including Japan, Brazil and the Philippines, and the fruit is currently cultivated in Latin America.
Expected Environmental and Consumer Benefits
Tropic estimates that the non-browning bananas could cut food-waste-related CO2-equivalent emissions by more than 25% across the supply chain, potentially reducing annual emissions by over 9 million tonnes in the global banana export market. A government study found that 1.4 million edible bananas are discarded each day in the UK, and a third of consumers admit to throwing away bananas because of minor bruises or black spots. By extending visual freshness, the edited bananas aim to lower such waste.
Next Steps and Market Outlook
Defra’s spokesperson highlighted precision breeding as a tool to boost food security, reduce pesticide use, increase yields and enhance disease resistance, framing the non-browning banana as an example of how innovation could improve sustainability while maintaining UK standards. With regulatory clearance secured, retailers are expected to introduce the fruit to British shoppers in the coming months, potentially expanding the range of pre-packaged banana products such as fruit salads and breakfast pots.
