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
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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
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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...
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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.
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"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.
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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.
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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
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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 ,P.B.Dhonukshe@uu.nl
Roy Keeris, Utrecht University Press Office, +31 (0) 253 2411, r.b.keeris@uu.nl
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