As the world’s most consumed fruit, bananas are a household staple and a key ingredient in many beloved recipes. However, when not rescued and baked into a loaf, they are also among the most thrown-away foods, contributing to the 9.52 million tonnes of food waste produced annually in the UK. To combat this, a biotech company Tropic has managed to create a non-browning banana.

It is estimated that a third of the produce that is harvested worldwide is never consumed and goes to waste. Bananas are no exception, in fact, around 60% of exported bananas are lost before they ever reach the consumer. The genetically modified banana is said to be able to maintain its freshness and vibrant yellow colour for up to 12 hours after peeling, significantly longer than a typical banana, which browns within a few hours. This has great potential to significantly reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, thus alleviating climate change.

“Around 60% of exported bananas are lost before they ever reach the consumer”

Without introducing foreign genetic material, researchers at the agritech company based in Norwich have managed to increase the shelf life of bananas by targeting genes that control ripening and browning. In doing so, the company believes non-browning bananas could “reduce food waste and CO2 emissions along the supply chain by more than 25%” Tropic’s pioneering work on the non-browning banana not only offers a practical solution to reducing food waste but also plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by minimising CO2 emissions, as it reduces the amount of organic matter that decomposes.

Tropic’s success is demonstrated by the approval of their technology globally. The Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, the USA and Canada have all given the go-ahead for the non-browning bananas to be sold. In the UK, changes to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, that could be approved later this year, would allow for the product to also be sold in the UK.

“Get ready to budget for olive oil and citrus fruit price increases!”

With global targets set to reduce anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases and reach net zero by 2050, many countries face the challenge of balancing economic growth and ensuring climate sustainability. Climate change also poses a threat to food security by generating extreme weather events. Droughts are expected to get longer and more intense. This will greatly impact many countries, such as Spain, where 40% of the territory is in a state of drought, which affects 80% of their farmlands. This will likely have an impact on the production of olive oil, citrus fruits and almonds, so get ready to budget the student loan for the further increase in prices! Moreover, while Spain experiences threats to its water reservoirs, it also experiences extreme rain events such as the 2024 October flash flood in Valencia, in which 224 people lost their lives and 13 remain missing.

Food security can be compromised by pests and pathogens that cause disease and reduce crop yields, so alongside prolonging the shelf life of bananas, the team at Tropic are also working towards disease resistance in bananas to improve their natural defence and reduce the use of pesticides. Beyond bananas, the agritech company focuses on other key crops, such as rice and coffee, in order to strengthen resistance to disease and improve the sustainability of agricultural production across a wider range of produce.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are subject to strict regulations to ensure their safety, and they offer promising solutions for food security. This innovation not only addresses food security, but also provides a stepping stone towards public acceptance of genetically modified plants by demonstrating their potential to improve agricultural practices to provide social, economical and environmental benefits. And don’t worry – we can still make banana bread.