Norwich, United Kingdom
September 7th, 2022
Norfolk Plant Sciences, Ltd. announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a Regulatory Status Review of its nutritionally-enhanced high anthocyanin purple tomato. The response states that the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), “has determined that [Norfolk Plant Sciences’] modified tomato is unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk relative to its comparator.” According to APHIS, “from a plant pest risk perspective, this plant may be safely grown and used in breeding in the United States.” This decision is the first released, under APHIS’s updated SECURE rule, which went into effect in 2021.
“We are now one step closer to my dream of sharing healthy purple tomatoes with the many people excited to eat them,” said Professor Cathie Martin, who developed the purple tomato by engineering a precise genetic “on switch,” derived from an edible flower.
Nathan Pumplin, CEO of Norfolk Plant Sciences’ US-based commercial business, stated, “this decision shows how the updates to APHIS’s regulatory framework will enable independent scientists and small companies to develop and compete on the market with better products, to the benefit of consumers and climate. This decision is a big milestone, which brings us much closer to a commercial launch of purple tomatoes. We are optimistic that we can begin limited distribution of purple tomatoes in the US in 2023.”
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2022/purple-tomato
About the Company
Norfolk Plant Sciences, Ltd. was founded by Prof. Cathie Martin, a group leader at the John Innes Centre and Professor at the University of East Anglia, who developed the high anthocyanin purple tomato through her basic scientific research program. Anthocyanins are antioxidants associated with a host of health benefits and are important to an anti-inflammatory diet. Inspired to increase nutritious and sustainable food options for consumers, Prof. Martin founded the spin-out of John Innes Centre and The Sainsbury Lab, together with her colleague Prof. Jonathan Jones, to enable commercial availability of their scientific discoveries.
Topics
Species
