tomatoes

Vitamin D deficiency is a growing health issue, but very few foods are rich in the nutrient. To help combat the problem, scientists have now used CRISPR gene editing to fortify tomatoes with vitamin D.By helping the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D is especially crucial for good bone health and strengthening the immune system. However, it’s tricky to get enough of it through food alone, with the majority of it produced in the skin in response to UV light from the Sun.Unfortunately, many people…

Tomatoes get riper and tastier in the summer Sun. Two studies now show that with a little help from gene editing, Sun-ripened tomatoes can also stockpile a precursor molecule to vitamin D, a vital nutrient normally found mainly in animal products. “This could be a game changer” in nations where vitamin D deficiency is a problem, says Esther van der Knaap, a plant geneticist at the University of Georgia, Athens. Biofortified plants could also help vegans get enough of the nutrient.…