A Mix-up Over Bioengineered Tomato Seeds Sparked Fears About Spread of GMO Crops
April 28, 2024 | Source: NPR | by Sasa Woodruff
The Purple Galaxy Tomato splashed across the cover of this season’s Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog: a closeup of a blackish-purple tomato speckled with tiny pink dots. Next to it, sits a sliced open fruit, revealing deep fuchsia seeds and flesh.
“This beauty is believed to be the first — and the purplest — non-GMO purple tomato in the universe!” read the catalog copy.
Only problem? The seeds actually may have been a GMO variety, the recently released Purple Tomato, created using genes from a snapdragon flower by Norfolk Healthy Produce.
The mix-up has caused consternation for the heirloom seed company that prides itself on offering rare and organic varieties and takes a firm stance against GMO crops. And it’s triggered debate about biodiversity and what can happen with GMO seeds when they begin to spread.