Trial uses tomatoes to test impact of gene-edited food on humans

A gene-edited tomato (left) compared to a normal tomato (right)

A city research centre plans to use tomatoes to test the impact of gene-edited food in what is thought to be the first human trial in the UK.

The Quadram Institute in Norwich is recruiting 76 people with low vitamin D to take part in the ViTaL-D Study, where some participants will eat soup containing tomatoes that have been genetically altered with added nutrients to see if their health improves.

Researchers from the John Innes Centre turned off a molecule in the tomatoes being used in the trial, so when the fruit is placed under light vitamin D forms.

Pat Thomas, from the campaign group Beyond GM, said there should be "an abundance of precaution" when it comes to modified food people have not eaten before.

Gene-editing is a recent technology that involves switching a plant's genes on and off by snipping out a small section of its DNA.

The trial has been funded by the government's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and approved by an external research ethics committee.

It follows the full introduction of the Precision Breeding Act in England in May, which means that scientists and farmers can now make and sell fruits and vegetables that have been gene-edited.

The act only allows changes to be made to genes in plants and animals that could have happened naturally or through traditional farming methods.

The trial in Norwich will use 487 kilos (76st) of tomatoes that have been picked and prepared

The ViTaL-D Study will test whether those who eat the gene-edited tomatoes have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood and compare the levels to supplements.

Vitamin D is important for the immune system to fight infection, for strong teeth, bones, muscles, and to help reduce the risk of cancer.

Prof Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre said gene-editing was "relatively easy" in tomatoes.

"You wouldn't be able to do it in other food... such as cabbages or broccoli. A lot of people also like tomatoes, in salads and in products like pasta sauce, pizza and ketchup."

Researchers believed four tomatoes could provide enough vitamin D to meet daily recommended levels.

The nutrient comes from exposure to the sun the government advised everyone to take a daily vitamin D supplement during winter because of the lack of daylight.

Prof Martin said not enough people were taking supplements, adding: "Do we really want life to be just a series of pills?"

Prof Martin Warren said that each participant would take part in the trial for three weeks

People with darker skin, the elderly and those who are pregnant and breastfeeding were more likely to be affected by vitamin D deficiency.

Prof Martin Warren, the chief scientific officer for the Quadram Institute, said one in five people had low levels of vitamin D.

"We call it hidden hunger and we thought it was a third world problem, but it's very much present in the UK.

"In some child groups we look at in hospital, 50% are deficient.

"We want to encourage more people to eat these kinds of nutrient enriched foods to provide a complete vitamin and mineral content in their diet," he said.

The tomatoes used in the trial have been mushed up then frozen, before being freeze-dried and added to soup

Ms Thomas, from Beyond GM, said the tomatoes used in the trial was a "novel, genetically engineered product which could be released into the food system" and was created "without any oversight and traceability".

"It removes consumers rights to know what they're buying... it also makes it difficult for organic farmers who must legally keep these crops out of their fields.

"I think it goes against what's required here, which is an abundance of precaution," she added.

Participants will wear a UV monitor as part of the trial to measure how much sunlight and vitamin D they are exposed to naturally

From November product developers can apply to the Food Standards Agency to market gene-edited crops, with the first produce expected to go on sale in 2026.

Beyond GM said it wanted a judicial review of the new regulations around gene-edited crops as the group had concerns about the impact it could have on ecosystems.

The "sunshine" tomato that Prof Martin is hoping to breed so that it will stand out from other tomatoes if its health benefits are proven

The new rules introduced as part of the Precision Breeding Act do not require gene-edited foods to be labelled as such, because Westminster considers them no different to conventional produce.

The Food Standards Agency said 77% of people surveyed want that reversed.

"It removes consumers rights to know what they're buying.. it also makes it difficult for organic farmers who must legally keep these crops out of their fields," Ms Thomas said.

The government said that gene-editing does not introduce foreign DNA and can mimic natural breeding so additional labelling was unnecessary.

Prof Martin said she was in favour of transparency so was breeding a patterned variety of tomato.

"I want consumers to be able to recognise them. I think that's very important. We have a feature, which looks a bit like a sunset. So, they know it's something unique."

She hoped to bring a gene-edited product to market within three years.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "Precision breeding is all about making the same type of genetic changes that could occur through traditional breeding in a more efficient and precise way.

"It offers huge potential to boost food security, cut pesticide use, increase crop yields and enhance disease resistance and we are backing it with a multi-million-pound investment."

A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency said: "It is up to consumers to decide what foods they wish to try, but our job is to make sure that products are only authorised if they are safe."