Ripening is a normal phase in the maturation process of fruits and vegetables. Upon its onset, it only takes about a few days before the fruit or vegetable is considered inedible. This process brings significant losses to both farmers and consumers alike.This desirable trait allows more time to pass between removal from the vine to the market and, thus, increases the shelf life of a fruit (tomato). Typically, tomato varieties are picked before onset of ripening to avoid over ripening and softening by the time they reach the market.

2. Ripening is a normal phase in the
maturation process of fruits and
vegetables.
Upon its onset, it only takes about a few
days before the fruit or vegetable is
considered inedible. This process brings
significant losses to both farmers and
consumers alike.

3. This desirable trait allows more time to pass between
removal from the vine to the market and, thus,
increases the shelf life of a fruit (tomato).
Typically, tomato varieties are picked before onset of
ripening to avoid over ripening and softening by the time
they reach the market.

4. Some genetically engineered tomatoes produce a
reduced amount of ethylene so that these tomatoes can
fully develop on the vine but stop just before ripening
and turning red.

5. The first genetically modified food product was the
Flavr Savr Tomato developed by Calgene, Inc.
Its benefits are: Garden-fresh taste year round,
increase of shelf life and tomato products are
thicker.

6. Polygalacturonase Gene is an
enzyme that degrades pectin.
When the amount of PG is decreased, the
fruit can remain on its plant longer
without becoming soft and is redder and
riper by the time it is picked for
distribution.

7. Tomato plants were transformed with the antisense PG gene,
which encodes mRNA that is complementary to PG mRNA.
The Flavr Savr Tomato was approved of the FDA in May 1944. It
didn’t required labeling in markets to indicate that it was
genetically modified.

8. In the summer of 1994, the tomatoes were first sold in
Chicago-area markets.
They were a success ;however, the tomatoes were delicate and
many were damaged during shipping.

9. Monsanto filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Calgene.
Calgene sold 55% of its shares to Monsanto and was eventually sold
through 1996.
In the mid-1990s, Monsanto, DNA Plant Technologies(DNAP) and
Agritope developed and received regulatory approval for genetically
engineered delayed-ripening tomatoes using a different approach from
Flavr Savr.

10. Companies that are still developing genetically engineered varieties of
delayed-ripening tomatoes:
1) Calgene
2) Agritope
3) Seminis
4) Aventis
5) And DNAP