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More palatable and tasty leafy greens, genetically ‘edited’ salads with cutting-edge technology? The food world is experiencing significant scientific advances, and one of them has just occurred in the United States, where the company Pairwise has launched the first salad genetically ‘edited’ with CRISPR technology. “Basically, we’ve created a new category of salads,” says Tom Adams, co-founder and CEO of Pairwise.
Conscious Greens Purple Power Baby Greens Blend – under its Conscious Foods brand – is a blend of colorful leafy greens that are uniquely fresh tasting and highly nutritious. Derived from mustard greens, they are part of the same family as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale, and are also field-grown. The main difference with their natural relatives is that the gene responsible for their bitter taste has been removed using CRISPR technology.
As the pioneering food startup points out, “it is a gene editing technique used to make changes to the DNA of a plant, shrub or tree; to enhance desired characteristics or to reduce undesired characteristics”. This gene editing has nothing to do with transgenic foods, as it does not add genetic material from a different species; it only reconfigures an organism’s own genes. “This process does what the centuries-old practice of crossbreeding could do, but in much less time,” they say.
Fruits and vegetables of the future
The International Fresh Produce Association has already commented on this first genetically ‘edited’ salad, and is very optimistic about it: “It is exciting to see the first CRISPR food coming to market to meet consumer demand for nutritious and fun fruits and vegetables. If we are to achieve the goal of doubling fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, it is imperative to offer consumers a wide diversity of products adapted to the new climate reality.”
In addition to leafy greens, Pairwise is currently developing new types of berries, cherries and other produce under its Conscious Foods brand. “Our lifestyles and needs are evolving and we are becoming more aware of our nutritional deficit,” notes Haven Baker, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Pairwise.
The pioneering salad is already available in select restaurants and retail outlets in the Performance Food Group network of operators -Pairwise’s partners in this project- in Springfield, Massachusetts, Minneapolis-St. Paul and St. Louis; and aims to reach U.S. grocery stores later this year. Will we try it in Spain? Just in case, we suggest some delicious alternatives.
