The third most important crop for human consumption worldwide is #potato, and now – in Latin-America – it has been improved with #crispr!
Potatoes can darken after being cut, peeled or being hit during the harvest or while being transported. This darkening (enzymatic browning) happens due to oxidation of the potato.
The dark spots will alter the flavor, texture and – obviously – the color. All these change in nutritional properties, lead to an incresase in #foodwaste. Luckily we have the #crisprcas9 genetic editing technique! The Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria managed to knock-out the gene coding for the enzyme that causes browning of the potato.
The researchers showed that the zest of these genetically edited potato can spend up to 48 hours exposed to air without darkening. The potatoes that we all buy and know, reach that stage in just a few minutes!
😀 Mr. Potato Head is proud😉!
