Fruit salads will never be the same again – thanks to scientists who have developed bananas that don’t go brown and mushy after being peeled.
British experts have altered the fruit’s genetics so it remains firm, fresh and yellow for about 24 hours after opening, even when sliced, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
‘No more slimy, brown bananas!’ said Gilad Gershon, chief executive of Tropic, the Norwich-based biotech company behind the breakthrough.
He added: ‘Our variety stays fresh for at least 12 hours after peeling and slicing, and after 24 hours displays 30 per cent less browning.
‘The bananas have the same taste, smell, sweetness and texture, the same everything we know and love, except the flesh doesn’t go brown as quickly. That means you can add them to fruit salads and cut-fruit products, opening up a huge new market for bananas.’
The company has worked out how to target the genes responsible for production of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which causes the browning, and disable them.
The technique is different to genetic modification as it makes precise changes to an organism’s existing genes without the introduction of foreign genetic material.
Tropic already has the go-ahead to sell the bananas in the Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, the USA and Canada, where it will launch later this month.
British experts have altered the genetics of a banana so it remains firm, fresh and yellow for about 24 hours after opening
The company has worked out how to target the genes responsible for production of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which causes bananas to brown, and disable them
But British banana-lovers will have to wait a while longer – possibly until mid-2026 – before they can try the trailblazing fruit as the sale of gene-edited plants and their fruits is banned here.
However, the Precision Breeding Bill, introduced under the Conservatives and currently in its final stages in Parliament, will pave the way for them to be sold in the UK. It is expected to be passed later this year.
Tropic is also working on a project aimed at slowing down the ripening of bananas, so they stay green longer. That will cut waste, as for every ton that makes it to the shops, two tons are declared inedible.
Mr Gershon explained: ‘Bananas are picked when they are green, very like tomatoes. What we’re doing is knocking out the genes that are responsible for the production of ethylene, a plant hormone which helps change the peel colour from green to yellow by breaking down chlorophyll.
‘If bananas can stay greener for longer, you can harvest them later, ship them for longer, and reduce packaging and chilled transportation costs.’
The company is also working on developing bananas resistant to diseases which have already wiped out several varieties.
Eyal Maori, Tropic’s chief scientific officer and co-founder, said: ‘Bananas are the world’s most-loved fruit but are suffering from many challenges in terms of production and shipping globally.
‘Bananas are sterile – they don’t produce seeds and can’t be bred or hybridised in the same way as an apple or orange. Our technology is ensuring that we can continue to enjoy bananas for generations to come.
‘We’re innovating to produce bananas that can protect themselves naturally against these diseases, using their natural defence mechanisms to improve disease resistance and increase yield.’
Mr Gershon added: ‘We are making very specific and subtle changes to what is already within the banana DNA to bring about beneficial traits.
‘These types of changes occur naturally and happen over time – what we’re doing is like evolution on fast-forward.’
