Would you eat a tomato this colour?
Would you eat a purple tomato? What if it had health benefits? Scientists have developed one that could be on our shop shelves soon.
This is the latest example of genetically modified food - food that has been changed from its natural form. There are many reasons for growing GM food, and Rob and Finn discuss some of them in the programme.
They also explain some vocabulary related to growing these 'artificial' crops.
This week's question:
When was the first genetically modified food first sold commercially? Was it in:
a) 1974
b) 1984
c) 1994
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Listen
Purple tomatoes
End of Section
Vocabulary
- artificial
made by people, copying something made in nature
- genetically modified
having its genetic structure changed for a particular purpose (sometime shortened to GM)
- genes
parts of the DNA in a cell that control the physical development or characteristics of an individual plant or animal
- resist
fight against
- pests
insects or small animals that damage crops
- cultivated
developed to be grown on farms
- pigment
natural substance that gives colour
- antioxidant
a natural chemical that slows down the decaying process
- significant
important or noticeable
- affordable
not expensive
- distrust
not trusting or believing someone or something
- ripening
becoming fully grown or ready for eating
