Norfolk-based Tropic Biosciences is approaching the final stages of regulatory approval for its gene-edited banana. This new variety uses CRISPR-Cas9 technology to prevent browning and reduce significant food waste in the UK.
The 1 million bananas lost every day in the UK
The UK's food waste crisis includes a massive loss of fruit due to rapid ripening. As the report notes, approximately one million bananas are discarded every single day in the UK because they spoil too quickly. This issue is largely driven by enzymatic browning, a process that degrades the appearance, taste, and texture of the fruit.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has indicated that roughly 20 per cent of all bananas are currently thrown away because of this browning . This waste represents not just a loss of food, but a significant environmental and economic burden on the global supply chain.
Silencing the PPO enzyme with CRISPR-Cas9
Tropic Biosciences has utilized the CRISPR-Cas9 technique to address this spoilage at the genetic level. Based in Norfolk, the company's scientists targeted three specific genes to prevent the production of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the enzyme responsible for browning. The CRISPR-Cas9 process uses a DNA cutting enzyme and a small tag to identify specific mutation locations, allowing for precise "scissors-like" cuts in the DNA.
By silencing these genes, the bananas can remain fresh and yellow for up to a day after being sliced or peeled . According to the report, this innovation marks the first major new banana variety introduced in more than 75 years, designed to withstand the bumps and bruises of international transport.
From Japan and Brazil to the UK's Food Standards Agency
The regulatory path for Tropic Biosciences' non-browning banana is already gaining momentum globally. The variety has already received regulatory approval for sale in both Japan and Brazil, signaling international confidence in the technology. In England, the fruit is currently moving through the final stages of approval following a notice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
However ,the bananas must still pass standard food safety checks conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) before they can reach supermarket shelves. This development is part of a larger movement in British agriculture toward gene-edited crops, including vitamin D-enriched tomatoes and strawberries designed to stay in season longer.
Will consumers embrace the first new banana variety in 75 years?
Several critical uncertainties remain before the 2025 commercial launch of the Tropic Biosciences banana. While the technical ability to stop browning is proven, it is still unknown how British consumers will react to eating gene-edited produce. The report also leaves unanswered whether the increased durability of the fruit will significantly lower retail prices or if the cost of CRISPR technology will be passed to the shopper.
Additionally, while the variety is intended for import and retail, the specific impact on the environmental footprint of the global banana trade remains a projection rather than a proven outcome. The success of this rollout will likely determine the future of gene-editing in the mainstream grocery sector.
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