Purple power and purple tomatoes

Talking with former FDA official Bob Buchanan of the University of Maryland today, I brought up the news that Manhattan, Kansas, was apparently selected as the home to the new site for the relocation of a federal animal health laboratory, known as the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. "That's a sore subject," Buchanan said lightheartedly, noting researchers at Maryland put together what they thought was a very promising and unique bid to house the facility as well. The news is such from Manhattan, as noted by Doug Powell of the KSU Food Safety Network, that KSU President Jon Wefald said it "might very well be the most important thing that has every happened to Kansas State University in the history of the university." What about the Big 12 Championship in football, Jon.? That was tops for me...

It will take years to build the lab, but the hundreds of researchers at the $500 million facility will certainly help the Little Apple's economy in due time. And, unless I'm wrong, it's not the kind of place there will be an organic protest movement to challenge the plan.

From the purple pride of KSU, I turn to a new USDA FAS report which provides more coverage of purple tomatoes. From the report:

News of a home-grown biotech product that could deliver potential consumer health benefits has been well-received in the UK. The UK has been at the forefront of primary research, funded by European and UK entities, to develop tomatoes with high levels of anthocyanins. These are deep red pigments with antioxidant capabilities thought to protect against a range of serious diseases. Recent surveys in Europe and the UK have shown that there is an increased understanding of the role that biotech crops could play in global food security. However, it is hoped that purple tomatoes and other “second generation” biotech products with tangible consumer benefits could encourage more consumers to accept GM. A UK research center has developed a biotech food product with potential consumer benefit. The John Innes Centre in Norwich, England2, has developed purple tomatoes high in beneficial anthocyanins. The antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are thought to provide protection against a range of illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. In tests, cancer susceptible mice fed on a diet supplemented with high-anthocyanin tomatoes lived longer. Anthocyanin pigments occur naturally in blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants, but regular tomatoes contain negligible amounts. Market research from TNS shows only 12 percent of the UK population meet the government target of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. The purple tomato research is an exciting development as consumers are more likely to see and feel the benefit to using biotechnology in such food applications. The aim being used to enrich food products widely and frequently consumed to deliver additional health benefits.UK scientists worked in conjunction with peers from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands to produce high-anthocyanin tomatoes by inserting 2 genes from the snapdragon (Antirrhinum) plant into regular tomato plants. They also added promoter sections of DNA that give rise to high levels of anthocyanin pigments in the fruit, but allow plant leaves and stems to grow normally. The research was funded under the EU's Fifth and Sixth Framework Programs (FP5 and FP63), and by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC4). It was published online in the journal Nature iotechnology on 26 October, 20085.

TK: The USDA analysis concluded that the positive buzz about the purple tomatoes may sway public about genetically modified food, but won't create a dramatic shift in what has been a cautious attitude about biotechnology.