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Witness History: Flavr Savr tomato: The world's first genetically-engineered food

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Flavr Savr tomato: The world's first genetically engineered food

27/12/2023 GMT

Flavr Savr tomato: The world's first genetically-engineered food

BBC World Service - Witness History, Flavr Savr tomato: The world's first genetically-engineered food

In 1994, a tomato became the world's first genetically-engineered food on sale

In 1994, the world saw the first genetically-engineered food on supermarket shelves. It was a tomato called 'Flavr Savr', which stayed fresh for up to 30 days.

In 1994, biotech company Calgene brought the world's first genetically-modified food to supermarket shelves.

The Flavr Savr tomato kept fresh for 30 days and could be shipped long distances without going off.

Yet the world was wary of this new food, and it took 10 years and $100m of investment to get it to market.

In 2017, the firm's then-CEO Roger Salquist told Claire Bowes about his mission to revolutionise the world's food.

(Photo: Roger Salquist with a crop of Flavr Savrs. Credit: Richard Gilmore)

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