Bananas that don't go brown coming to UK supermarkets soon

A new group of genetically edited foods will become available in supermarkets due to Brexit. Crops that have been genetically edited can now be sold in England under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 in the hope of ensuring food security.

Developers have already created bananas and strawberries that take longer to go off, bread with fewer cancer-causing chemicals, lettucethat is sweeter, and potatoes that are disease-resistant. They can apply to sell them from November 13 but can only be sold in England due to devolved powers in the UK having concerns over safety. The new law has been seen as a win by farmers, who will be able to grow crops that are more resistant to disease and unpredictable weather. Foods that have been genetically edited, which will be known as precision-bred organisms, will not have to be labelled as such due to them being fundamentally no different to regular food, according to experts.

The EU treats genetically edited products the same as genetically modified organisms, requiring full safety assessment, traceability, and labelling before market authorisation.

Daniel Pearsall, co-ordinator of the Science for Sustainable Agriculture think-tank, told the Telegraph: "England is now ahead of every other European country in adopting more progressive regulations for these technologies.

"The first time in more than 30 years that new legislation has been brought forward in this country, which seeks to enable, rather than to further restrict, the use of genetic innovation in agriculture.

"We must capitalise on that advantage by promoting early adoption and application of gene editing technologies."

Daniel Zeichner, minister for food security and rural affairs, told The Telegraph: "Precision breeding could give Britain the power to create food that's more nutritious, grow crops that can withstand our changing climate and plants that naturally resist disease - all essential for our farmers to thrive and for our nation's food security."

Dr Thomas Vincent, the deputy director of innovation policy at the FSA, said: "We have developed a robust system for authorising the sale of precision-bred products, so the public can be confident that any products that make it through the authorisation process are safe to eat.

"This process gives businesses a clear route to market, supporting growth in the industry, while maintaining high safety standards."