The stated goal: to test whether these “biofortified” tomatoes can raise blood levels of vitamin D in just 21 days. But critics argue this is not a legitimate safety study—it’s a marketing exercise aimed at normalizing gene-edited foods, despite unknown long-term risks to human health and the environment.
A marketing experiment disguised as nutrition science: The UK’s ViTaL-D Study is testing gene-edited “vitamin D tomatoes” not for safety, but for short-term efficacy — to see if these modified tomatoes can raise blood vitamin D levels in 21 days. The trial overlooks potential long-term health impacts and serves more as a marketing tool to normalize gene-edited foods.
A flawed “solution” to vitamin D deficiency: These tomatoes don’t even contain vitamin D3, the biologically active “sunshine vitamin,” but a precursor that must be UVB-activated — a process that requires slicing the tomatoes into 1mm pieces before exposure. This makes them suitable only for processed foods like soup or juice, undermining claims of a natural health innovation.
Overlooked safety and nutrient risks: Critics warn that gene editing can cause unintended genetic changes (“off-target effects”) and create novel compounds with unknown long-term consequences. Meanwhile, UV treatment itself can degrade vital nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, K, and B-complex, potentially destroying more nutrition than it adds....<<<Read More>>>...
