A new technology called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats uses a genome-editing technique that allows agricultural scientists to edit out singular genes in species of fruits and vegetables.
That means produce could be altered to brown less easily upon being touched and could grow slower to decrease any wasted harvest.
This technique itself grew in popularity late last year, but this summer boasts one of the first vegetable harvests using CRISPR. Swedish biologist Stefan Jansson was one of the first people to eat a CRISPR veggie — a cabbage — and he lived to tell the tale on his blog.
The CRISPR technique can make a hugely positive difference in the way we feed people.
There have been a lot of harsh words thrown around about genetically modified organisms because of their perceived unnaturalness, connection to dangerous chemicals and reputation for being spooky “frankenfood.”
But “CRISPR” is not an acronym to equate to the hated agricultural giant “Monsanto.”
CRISPR technology allows scientists to focus more energy on genetic traits that the consumer of the food will notice.
CEO of Gingko Bioworks Jason Kelly told the Atlantic that CRISPR can also put more traits into foods, meaning that foods could become infused with more nutrients.
That means that entirely new and improved species of fruits and vegetables may eventually become commonplace. Scientists could easily use CRISPR to produce strains of plants that are more nutritious than ones that already exist.
And if the technology catches on as well as it has in the past year, we may be able to produce enough large quantities of nutrient-rich foods to create a new, cheaper option for struggling families.
It is no secret that having more readily available, affordable, nutrient-rich foods can help eliminate food insecurity in urban areas or food deserts.
The only obstacle that stands in the way of getting to a place where agricultural companies can openly use CRISPR is public opinion.
CRISPR technology does allow for the genetic editing of any organism, including plants, animals and humans. However, just because such capabilities exist does not mean that they will be utilized to create crazy mutant animals or “designer babies,” as some may fear.
When it comes to global issues, food insecurity is definitely more pressing than the desire for tiny winged sloths or a generation of children without peanut allergies.
And even if the technology is used on animals or humans, NPR reports that many scientists simply want to look at “how the cells in our body work or how certain genes function.” Such inspection of cells can even give us more information about why and how bodies can develop cancer.
If we can change the negative culture around genetic modification, we can open a gateway to a potentially life-changing agricultural system.
