Gene editing ≠ GMO? Philippines lists Japanese gene-edited tomatoes as conventional varieties

According to Philippine media reports, the Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) of the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines issued a certificate (JDC No. 01 s.2021) for a gene-edited tomato from Japan in May, identifying the gene-edited tomato as a non-genetically modified crop (GMO), so there is no need to go through regulatory pathways to assess the biosafety of the product. It is understood that the tomato was launched by the Japanese company Sanatech Seed and developed using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The tomato contains high levels of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid). GABA is a naturally occurring non-protein amino acid and an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. It has the effects of stabilizing emotions and helping to lower blood pressure. Ordinary tomatoes contain a gene that inhibits GABA levels during their growth. The research and development team said that the team spent 15 years on research and development to make the GABA ...