We’re Giving Bananas a (Much) Longer Shelf Life

A biotech based in Norwich, England, has developed a powerful technology to prevent food waste. The latest food to receive such a treatment is a genetically engineered non-browning banana.

“Food waste is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It’s awful, clearly,” says Gilad Gershon, the chief executive of the biotech Tropic. “Bananas are the fourth biggest crop globally, but also one where the perishability is very high. Some estimates say that 50% of the bananas grown are never eaten.”

The browning is caused by a gene responsible for producing the enzyme polyphenol oxidase. This gene has already been silenced in Arctic apples and has been proven to work with tomatoes, mushrooms, melons, and kiwis. Tropic has developed a slow-ripening banana – approved in several countries – lettuce that wilts more slowly, bruise-resistant apples and potatoes, and is working on identifying the genes determining how quickly grapes and blueberries shrivel. The sale of non-browning bananas has been approved in the Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, the United States, and Canada.