Fried Purple Tomatoes

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Fried purple tomatoes

United KingdomOctober 22, 2008

Scientists have expressed genes

from snapdragon in tomatoes to

grow purple tomatoes high in

health-protecting anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins are naturally

occurring pigments found at

particularly high levels in

berries such as blackberry,cranberry and chokeberry.

Scientists are investigating ways to increase the levels of health-promoting compounds in more

commonly eaten fruits and vegetables.

“Most people do not eat 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day, but they can get more benefit

from those they do eat if common fruit and veg can be developed that are higher in bioactive

compounds,“ says Prof Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre.

Anthocyanins offer protection against certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and age-relateddegenerative diseases. There is evidence that anthocyanins also have anti-inflammatory activity,

promote visual acuity and hinder obesity and diabetes.

Tomatoes already contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene. Highly processed tomatoes are

the best source, or tomatoes cooked in a little oil, which helps to release the lycopene from cells.

Flavonoids meanwhile are soluble in water, and foods containing both water soluble and fat-

dissolved antioxidants are considered to offer the best protection against disease.

In this study the scientists expressed two genes from snapdragon that induce the production of

anthocyanins in snapdragon flowers. The genes were turned on in tomato fruit. Anthocyanins

accumulated in tomatoes at higher levels than anything previously reported for metabolic

engineering in both the peel and flesh of the fruit. The fruit are an intense purple colour.

The scientists tested whether these elevated levels actually had an effect on health. In a pilot test,

Purple tomatoes high in anthocyanins

http://www.jic.bbsrc.ac.uk/

http://www.jic.bbsrc.ac.uk/



the lifespan of cancer-susceptible mice was significantly extended when their diet was

supplemented with the purple tomatoes compared to supplementation with normal red tomatoes.

"This is one of the first examples of metabolic engineering that offers the potential to promote

health through diet by reducing the impact of chronic disease," says Professor Cathie Martin.

“And certainly the first example of a GMO with a trait that really offers a potential benefit for all

consumers. The next step will be to take the preclinical data forward to human studies with

volunteers to see if we can promote health through dietary preventive medicine strategies.”

High anthocyanin purple tomato and red wild-type tomato

The orange, purple and green cauliflowers that scientists claim could be healthier for you

By DAVID DERBYSHIRE



Cauliflower cheese will never be the same again. Scientists have developed amazing variants of

vegetable where the traditional white florets have been changed to a garish orange, purple and

green. The "rainbow cauliflowers" are said to taste the same as the normal varieties, but add a

splash of colour to the dinner table.

Some scientists have even claimed that they are healthier for you. Andrew Coker, a spokesman

for the plant company Syngenta - which is developing the plants in Europe - stressed that the

colourful cauliflowers were not the result of genetic engineering, but came after decades of

traditional selective breeding.

Scroll down for more...



Cauli-ful: The green, orange and purple varieties of cauliflower. Although its not the first time

that orange and green cauliflowers have been seen in Britain, their creators say they will be the

first to be commercially available in supermarkets and markets.

They retain their colour even after cooking. "The pictures may look garish, but they are really are

this colourful," said Mr Coker.

"Consumers are looking for ever new experiences on their dinner plates and colour features very

large in their desire for different things.



"These are the results of traditional selective breeding - where different strains have been cross

breed and cross bred until these strains have been created.

"We are now trying to ensure that we have the consistency of colour , taste and size before

bringing them to the mass market. But you will find them in smaller outlets from this year."

In tests, the garish cauliflowers have proved a hit with shoppers.

While traditionalists may baulk at the unusual colours, it is not the first time that plant breeders

have changed the appearance of vegetables.

Until the 17th century most carrots eaten Europe were white, yellow or purple. The orange

pigment was added by Dutch plant breeders looking for a way to celebrate Holland's royal

family.

The last few years has seen the introduction of purple carrots to supermarkets in Britain, along

with yellow tomatoes and purple potatoes.

In America, where colour cauliflowers have been available for several years, they have been a

big hit with foodies. The orange cauliflower has higher than normal levels of beta carotene, a

form of vitamin A that encourages healthy skin.

The purple colour comes from anthocyanin, which may help prevent heart disease by slowing

blood clotting.

Tests of the orange cauliflowers in America found that they contained 25 times the

concentrations of beta carotene in normal cauliflowers.

World's first blue roses on display in Japan

The world's first blue roses have been unveiled to the public for the first time at an international

flower fair in Japan, following nearly two decades of scientific research.

By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo

The blue-hued blooms are genetically modified and have been implanted with a gene that

simulates the synthesis of blue pigment in pansies.



The Blue Rose was developed by Suntory Flowers

The flowers, which were on public display at the International Flower Expo Tokyo, will go on

sale commercially in Japan in Autumn next year.

"This is the first time that these blue roses have been put on display in public," said Megumi

Mitsunaga, a spokeswoman for IFEX.

"They are attracting lots of attention here because they are so unusual."

The creation of blue flowers - historically viewed as a symbol of the impossible - was

masterminded by a subsidiary of Suntory, the Japanese drinks company, which has invested

three billion yen in the creation of blue roses, blue carnations and other blue flowers since 1990.

Its scientists successfully pioneered implanting into the flowers the gene that produces

Delphinidin, the primary plant pigment that produces a blue hue but is not found naturally in

roses.

The world's first genetically modified blue roses were unveiled in the laboratory four years ago,

although further research was required to make them safe to grow in nature.

Following the cultivation of test batches in the United States and America, the company will be

ready to sell them from next year and aims to open up a global market for blue flowers worth an

estimated 30 billion yen.

The blue roses were among 860 exhibits on display at the fifth annual IFEX, the largest flower

and garden trade show which is expected to attract over 32,000 visitors over the weekend.



Other highlights included glow-in-the-dark roses showcased in an array of pastel hues in dark

boxes, having been genetically modified to light up in the dark.

Researcher grows roots on upper part of plant

The molecular cell biologist Pankaj Dhonukshe from Utrecht University has succeeded in

growing roots on plants at places where normally leaves would grow. This important step in

plant modification can be highly beneficial for improving crop yields and efficiency in the

agricultural sector. This research was largely carried out in collaboration between Utrecht

University (The Netherlands) and Ghent University (Belgium) with help from scientists in Japan,

USA and Switzerland. The results of this research appeared as an advance online publication of

the weekly science journal Nature on 26 October 2008.

The plant hormone auxin plays a crucial role in coordination

of stem cells and organ formation in plants. It promotes the

formation of roots from stem cells and coordinates the growth

of leaves and fruits. Auxin is produced mainly in young

leaves, or shoots, and is then transported from one cell to the

next towards the basal region of plant ultimately leading

towards root formation.

Roots above ground

Pankaj Dhonukshe discovered a molecular switch to alter the

auxin transport. By turning on the switch, Dhonukshe was

able to reduce the extent of auxin transport towards the roots. The hormone then began to

accumulate at the places in the young leaves where it is produced and roots began to emerge here

where normally leaves would grow.

Increased yields

These results are an important step in our understanding of the way plants grow and create novel

future possibilities to modify the positioning of various plant organs such as roots, fruits and

leaves. This specific manipulation of plant architecture promises to enhance yield-traits and crop



harvesting. Molecular switches are particularly interesting for influencing plant forms, because

utilization of traditional plant refinement approaches has certain limitations. The Utrecht

research group is currently examining further interesting possibilities in this area.

Collaborative Research

Dhonukshe carried out the developmental biology research at Utrecht University, and the cellular

biology research in cooperation with Ghent University.

Life Sciences and Biocomplexity

Utrecht University has organised its top-level research into fifteen focus areas, which are

intended to promote high-quality research and contribute to solving major problems in society.

The study described above falls under the category ‘Life Sciences and Biocomplexity’, in which

research is being carried out into all the processes in the cell from the molecular scale to the

creation of multi-celled organisms and the interaction among cells. Genomics and proteomics

form an important part of this area. For more information, please visit

www.uu.nl/EN/research/focusareas/.

Caption

The photo on the left shows a normal plant with normal leaves and a root and the photo on the

right shows a plant on which root has started to grow at the place of young leaf. The shoot part isshown in orange and the roots in green.

More information

Pankaj Dhonukshe, University Utrecht, +31 (0) 64 83 81 812 ,[email protected]

Roy Keeris, Utrecht University Press Office, +31 (0) 253 2411, [email protected]

http://www.uu.nl/university/research/en/focusareas

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.uu.nl/university/research/en/focusareas



Fried Purple Tomatoes

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