Researchers used advanced gene-editing technology to create tomatoes with significantly higher levels of beta-carotene, a nutrient your body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency affects millions of people worldwide and can cause serious health problems, especially in developing countries. Scientists modified tomato plants using CRISPR technology to boost beta-carotene levels by 1.7 to 2.5 times without affecting other important nutrients or how the tomatoes taste and look. The modified tomatoes maintained their normal lycopene content, firmness, and shelf life, suggesting this approach could help fight vitamin A deficiency globally.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether scientists could use gene editing to increase the amount of beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) in tomatoes while keeping the fruit healthy and nutritious
  • Who participated: Laboratory study using genetically modified tomato plants and wild-type (normal) tomato plants for comparison. No human participants were involved in this research.
  • Key finding: Modified tomatoes contained 1.7 to 2.5 times more beta-carotene than regular tomatoes, while maintaining normal levels of other nutrients like lycopene, vitamin C, and sugars
  • What it means for you: In the future, eating these enhanced tomatoes could help people get more vitamin A from their diet, potentially reducing vitamin A deficiency-related health problems. However, these tomatoes are still in the research phase and not yet available for purchase.

The Research Details

Scientists used CRISPR gene-editing technology to create special tomato plants with modified genes. They made two types of changes: one that increased the supply of beta-carotene building blocks, and another that reduced the breakdown of beta-carotene in the fruit. They then grew these modified tomato plants and compared their fruits to regular tomatoes. The researchers measured the levels of different nutrients and tested how well the tomatoes stored, how firm they were, and whether they resisted disease.

This research approach is important because it shows scientists can make tomatoes more nutritious without making them taste worse or spoil faster. Instead of just adding nutrients from outside, they’re using the plant’s own biology to produce more of what we need. This is a more natural approach than some other methods of food fortification.

This is laboratory research published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, which means other experts reviewed the work. The study comprehensively tested multiple aspects of the tomatoes, not just nutrient levels. However, this research hasn’t yet been tested with people eating the tomatoes, and the modified plants haven’t been grown in real-world farming conditions on a large scale.

What the Results Show

The modified tomato plants produced fruit with significantly more beta-carotene than normal tomatoes—between 1.7 and 2.5 times higher amounts. This is a substantial increase that could meaningfully boost vitamin A intake for people who eat these tomatoes regularly. The researchers achieved this by making two genetic changes that work together: one increases the raw materials available to make beta-carotene, and the other prevents the beta-carotene from being broken down as quickly. Importantly, the lycopene content (another beneficial nutrient in tomatoes that gives them their red color) remained unchanged, suggesting the modifications were targeted and didn’t disrupt the plant’s normal nutrient production.

The modified tomatoes maintained their normal appearance, taste quality, firmness, and shelf life compared to regular tomatoes. Vitamin C levels and sugar content remained similar. The tomatoes also showed good resistance to Botrytis cinerea, a common fungal disease that causes fruit rot. These findings suggest that boosting beta-carotene didn’t create unexpected problems with fruit quality or storage.

This research builds on previous work showing that tomatoes are good candidates for nutrient enhancement because they’re widely grown and eaten globally. Previous studies identified the genes involved in beta-carotene production and breakdown. This study is novel because it successfully combines multiple genetic modifications to increase beta-carotene while maintaining all other fruit qualities, which previous attempts hadn’t fully achieved.

This research was conducted in laboratory and controlled growing conditions, not in real farms. The study doesn’t include human testing to confirm that people can actually absorb and use the extra beta-carotene from these tomatoes. The long-term effects of eating these tomatoes regularly haven’t been studied. Additionally, regulatory approval and public acceptance of genetically modified foods varies by country, which could affect whether these tomatoes become available to consumers.

The Bottom Line

This research suggests that gene-edited tomatoes could be a promising tool to fight vitamin A deficiency in the future (moderate confidence level). However, these tomatoes are not yet available for purchase, and more research is needed, including human studies and real-world farming trials. Current recommendations for getting enough vitamin A remain unchanged: eat a variety of colorful vegetables, including regular tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens.

This research is most relevant for people in developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is common and causes serious health problems, particularly in children. It’s also important for food scientists, farmers, and policymakers considering new approaches to nutrition. People interested in how genetic technology might improve food nutrition should find this interesting. This doesn’t change anything for people who currently have adequate vitamin A intake.

These tomatoes are still in the research phase. If approved for farming and sale, it would likely take several years before they become widely available. Even then, benefits would develop gradually as people incorporate them into their regular diet—vitamin A stores in your body, so improvements in deficiency would happen over weeks to months of regular consumption.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily beta-carotene and vitamin A intake from all sources (carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, tomatoes, and other orange/red vegetables). Log servings of colorful vegetables daily and monitor energy levels and vision quality monthly.
  • Once these tomatoes become available, users could set a goal to include one serving of beta-carotene-enriched tomatoes in their daily diet. The app could provide recipes and track consumption patterns to ensure consistent intake.
  • Create a long-term tracking system that monitors vitamin A-related health markers over months, including energy levels, eye health, and skin condition. Compare intake patterns before and after introducing the enhanced tomatoes to the diet.

This research describes laboratory-developed tomatoes that are not yet available for human consumption. These findings are preliminary and have not been tested in humans. Genetic modification regulations vary by country, and these tomatoes would require regulatory approval before becoming commercially available. If you have concerns about vitamin A deficiency, consult with a healthcare provider about appropriate dietary sources or supplements. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.