Back in August 2025 I wrote about the Californian company seeking approval to grow and sell us all GMO tomatoes. Well...
Last month, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and Food Standards Australia New Zealand approved the Purple Bliss tomato to be grown and distributed in Australia.
It will be the first fresh GMO food to be grown and sold in the country. All other GM crops in Australia have only been approved for cultivation and use in processed foods.
Just to refresh your memory, this purple tomato has been genetically modified by introducing 2 genes from the garden snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) flower. These 2 genes switch on production of natural purple/blue pigments, called anthocyanins, in the ripening fruit. Also introduced was a "marker gene” from the bacterium Escherichia coli (E.coli) that confers resistance to some antibiotics. Not exactly sure why this guy gets a gig...
These genes were introduced to the tomato using a process called Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, where a species of soil bacteria (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) that naturally infects plants and transfers some of its DNA into the plant during the infection process, is used to transfer the 3 subject genes into the parent tomato plant.
We now know that the initial modified tomato plant was of the MicroTom variety. This was self pollinated for 6 generations, then one plant of the 6th generation was crossed with a Money Maker tomato to generate a purple fruited F1 population. One of these F1 plants was self pollinated, and one of its progeny was self pollinated through 8 generations, then one of its progeny was crossed with a yellow cherry tomato called Goldkrone. This cross was chosen for commercial development because the combination of yellow pigments with the purple/blue anthocyanins results in a darker purple trait compared to crosses with red tomatoes. This is the variety that will be grown and sold in Australia.
What about labelling? Will we ever know?
As the FSANZ standards currently stand, this tomato, if sold in a retail store like a supermarket, will be required to be labelled as “genetically modified”, either on it’s packaging, or displayed in connection with the display of the food if not packaged. If the tomatoes are sold to a caterer, the tomatoes do not need to be labelled, but the caterer must be informed that they are GMO. Fair enough...
BUT! If the tomato “...is intended for immediate consumption, and is prepared and sold from food premises including restaurants, take away outlets, caterers, self catering institutions, and vending vehicles”, no labelling or notification is required. Maybe not so good…
The first grower will be Clearview Valley near Esk, QLD, and the fruit will initially sold in Melbourne.
So there you have it. Fresh GMO’s are heading to a store near you for the very first time. What are your thoughts?
Rod