紫色的番茄

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　　Finn: Hello Rob.

　　Rob: Now Finn, I'd like to start by asking you a question. Would you eat a purple coloured tomato?

　　Finn: Purple? Well, that depends. Is it a naturally coloured tomato? Where does it come from? Is this an artificial tomato? Rob, tell me more.

　　Rob: Artificial - yes, you mean is it man-made and trying to copy something that is natural? Well, in a way - yes. Because scientists have developed a genetically² modified purple tomato; they took red tomato plants and changed their genetic¹ patterns so that they now produce new, purple tomatoes.

　　Finn: Yes, so this would be an example of GM - genetically modified - food. It's something we'll be discussing more soon and, of course, looking at some related vocabulary.

　　Rob: But here's another question for you Finn that hasn't been modified - or changed - in any way! GM food has been researched and experimented with for many years but do you know when the first genetically modified food was first sold commercially? Was it in:

　　a) 1974

　　b) 1984

　　c) 1994

　　Finn: Well, we think of GM food as a recent thing so I'll say the opposite, a) 1974.

　　Rob: OK, we’ll find out if you're right later on. Let's talk more now about genetically modified food - or GM food. It's called this because the food's genes³ have been changed. This means the way it grows is different from the way it grows when it isn’t touched by humans.

　　Finn: Yes, so, growing GM food - or crops - is controversial. Some scientists think it's needed to meet the world's growing demand for food.

　　Rob: Yes, GM food can resist - or stop the effects of - some pests or bad weather. It can grow more quickly, meaning even more crops can be cultivated - or grown.

　　Finn: But opponents of GM food - people who argue against it - say we don't know enough about its effect on the environment.

　　Rob: And then there are the fears about who controls what's grown.

　　Finn: Yes, but despite this, GM food has become an important part of food production. Crops like sweetcorn, rape⁴ plants, wheat and tomatoes have all been genetically modified.

　　Rob: Yes, like the purple tomato, which was recently developed in the UK. It has a dark pigment⁵ - or colour - which gives it the same potential health benefits as blueberries.

　　Finn: Well, that sounds like a good thing. And not only that, it has an antioxidant - that's a substance that stops the decaying process - which tests show could help fight cancer.

　　Rob: One day we could see these purple tomatoes on pizzas or in our tomato ketchup⁶. Let's hear from Professor Cathie Martin who is a plant biologist from The John Innes Centre who developed this tomato. What does she say is good about this new food?

　　Professor Cathie Martin, Plant Biologist, John Innes Centre:

　　With these purple tomatoes, you can get the same compounds that are present in blueberries and cranberries⁷ that give them their health benefits but you can apply them to foods that people actually eat in significant amounts and that are reasonably affordable⁸.

　　Rob: So she says the good thing about this development is we can get health benefits from something we eat significant amounts of - so lots of - and they will be reasonably affordable - so it will be cheap.

　　Finn: Yes but there's still maybe a problem with the colour. We are affected⁹ by the colour of stuff we put in our mouths. I mean, who eats blue food?!

　　Rob: That's true. And also because the European Union has restrictions¹⁰ on growing GM food, this tomato has to be grown in Canada where rules are more supportive of GM foods.

　　Finn: OK. Well, Professor Nick Pidgeon, who is an Environmental Psychologist, says in the UK there is some distrust of GM food.

　　Rob: He says some people are concerned all this is messing with nature - it's not natural - and maybe we don't know what the long-term consequences are.

　　Finn: And a big concern is that large corporations will have control over the technology. And this could mean they control food prices too. You know Rob, I think this is a debate that will go on and on and on.

　　Rob: Indeed. But it's now time to reveal the answer to today's question. Earlier I asked you if you knew when the first genetically modified food was first sold commercially.

　　Finn: I said a) 1974.

　　Rob: Interesting. The answer is actually 1994. A company called Calgene sold a product that delayed the ripening¹¹ of tomatoes.

　　Finn: OK, well, I guess that means the fruit could last longer and it would stop it going soft?

　　Rob: That was the idea. Now, before we go, Finn, could you remind us of some of the vocabulary that we've heard today?

　　Finn: Yes, I will.

　　artificial

　　genetically modified

　　genes

　　resist

　　pests

　　cultivated

　　pigment

　　antioxidant

　　significant

　　affordable

　　distrust

　　ripening

　　Rob: Well, that brings us to the end of today's 6 Minute English. We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s programme. Please join us again soon.

　　Both: Bye.

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