Ever had a purple tomato? USDA approves GM crop variety for cultivation

With the approval, the crop is free from regulations and may be grown freely across the USA. However, the fruit will have to go through more scrutiny before being sold in the markets

After over 14 years of development of the purple tomato, the genetically modified (GM) crop has been recognised as safe to grow by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The seeds of the plant developed by Norfolk Plant Sciences (NPS) may enter the market for sale by 2023.

The purple tomato produces a higher amount of antioxidants called anthocyanins. "The anthocyanin content of purple fruits from a hemizygous Del/Ros1 plant averaged approximately 500 mg per 100 g fresh weight whereas anthocyanins were undetectable in wild type red tomatoes", the company's filing with the USDA read.

Anthocyanins are found in