Genome-edited tomato to be sold in Japan
The new variety was modified to have a higher content of a nutrient known as GABA which is thought to help reduce blood pressure.
Genome-edited foods can be distributed in Japan after the health ministry has been notified.
Unlike genetically modified foods, genome-edited varieties are considered as safe as anything improved using conventional methods because no outside gene is introduced.
In December, the health ministry granted Tokyo-based nursery company Sanatech Seed permission to sell the genome-edited tomato.
Contract farmers in Kumamoto Prefecture, in southwestern Japan, have already been growing the variety.
Sanatech Seed officials say they started to accept online orders from consumers on Wednesday as the tomatoes are now ready to be picked.
The company plans to ship each package of tomatoes with a sticker that says "improved using genome editing technology".
Takeshita Tatsuo, Chairman of Sanatechseed, said "At first we got mixed reactions to genome-edited foods, and we thought it would be difficult to bring them to market as they're not fully understood by consumers. But the tomatoes earned a good reputation from those who took part in the cultivation trials. We'll take every possible precaution when they go on sale."
A 3-kilogram box of tomatoes will cost 7,500 yen or about 68 dollars.
Natto: A Superfood From Japan
slurrp.com - Aug 04
Natto is incredibly well-known in Japan, despite the fact that few people outside of Asia have ever heard of it.
Why Japan's wasabi farmers fear climate change
Reuters - Jul 13
Experts say global warming is posing a real threat to the production of wasabi. And it’s not only the typhoons.
Fatty 'katsuo' fish may foreshadow climate change, threat to Japan's sushi
Reuters - Jul 12
For half a century, Takeo Nakajo has been catching katsuo, or skipjack tuna - indispensable in Japanese cuisine whether eaten raw, dried or used as a base for the broth.
Rice balls that can be stored for 100 days at room temperature released in Japan
Grape - Jul 12
Onigiri, or rice balls, are one of the most popularly enjoyed snacks in Japan. With a wide variety of flavors, they can make for a meal on their own–even if the way to open one sometimes seems like figuring out a puzzle to the uninitiated.
Compensating for poor diets? Japanese kids who take supplements eat less healthily – government-funded study
nutraingredients-asia.com - Jun 21
Japanese children who consume dietary supplements were found to eat less healthily than non-users, consuming more oils and confectionary and lower amounts of fruits and vegetables.
