Canada has been slow to allow genetically modified seeds compared to the U.S. which is developing a new generation of gene-edited produce, ripe with promises of non-browning potatoes and soybeans with a healthier mix of fatty acids.Back in the 1990s, a California company experimented with transferring animal genes into plants. An antifreeze gene from a flounder was spliced intoin a bid to make it freeze resistant.
"Any new technology has opposition, and slowly that withers away. The opposition has kind of dampened down ... we've been eating genetic-modified foods now for 40 years and we're still here."Schwarcz explained that gene editing does not involve splicing any DNA from a non-related organism into fruits or vegetables. Instead, a technique known as CRISPR — a sort of pair of molecular scissors — is used to snip or tweak existing DNA sequences.
"It really does open up Canada," said Tom Adams, CEO of Pairwise, whose company used CRISPR to develop a nutrient-dense leafy green.