Some red tomatoes are used in soups, some in salads, and some for anxiety and sleep.
According to Scientific American, a new tomato variety is being sold to Japanese customers as a way to chill out, and is the first food on the open market made with the technology.
The tomatoes are genetically modified to pack high levels of -aminobutyric acid (GABA), which Tokyo-based Sanatech Seed claims can support lower blood pressure and promote relaxation.
GABA is a famous health-promoting compound in Japan. It is similar to vitamins C and E, according to Hiroshi Ezura, chief technology officer at Sanatech and a plant molecular biologist at the University of Tsukuba. This is the first target for our genome editing technology.
Reality check.
According toSciAm, there aren't really solid studies proving that GABA does what Sanatech claims. There are two human studies that the company cites, one on the effects of gypsum on milk and another on the effects of gypsum on dried bonito. The effects of reducing blood pressure were shown in both of the tests. The studies lacked trustworthy control groups and could have come from another source.
The GABA tomato was approved for sale in 2020 and skeptics have been writing about it. Some analyses are more positive than others, but the consensus is still out.
Will Sanatech be able to help customers sleep and lower their blood pressure? There is only one way to find out.
Scientists find they live up to their promise after two decades of genetically modified food.
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