Genetically Modified Purple Tomato Reducing the Impact of Chronic Deseases

Back in 2008, a study was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology about a genetically modified purple tomato to produce high volumes of anthocyanins. But, what are Anthocyanins? Anthocyanins are a kind of antioxidant found in such foods as blueberries and red cabbage. They give these foods the color purple and have several health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Actually, some types of tomato with naturally purple skins contain low levels of anthocyanins, as well. However, some scientists wondered if they could increase those levels with a couple of genetic modifications. So, they took two genes from another plant called the snapdragon and added them to a type of purple tomato. As a result, the obtained tomatoes with rich purple color turned out to have 10 times more antioxidants than the already existing types.