There are "notorious challenges" in producing stable yields of Capsicum, the molecule responsible for chilies' spiciness, that have consistent levels of pungency, according to Brazilian researchers.
This prompted them to explore alternative methods of harnessing valuable capsaicinoids, used in industries as diverse as food and nutrition to the arms industry for pepper spray.
The latest gene-editing techniques mean it is perfectly possible - although still challenging - to develop a tomato that produces capsaicinoids, say the scientists.
Tomatoes work well as a carrier not because the flavors pair well but because of genetic suitability; from an evolutionary point of view, chilies and tomatoes are ‘long-lost cousins’ that split off from a common ancestor around 19 million years ago but still share some of the same DNA.
“The completion of the Capsicum genome, and the discovery that the tomato contains the full suite of genes necessary for pungency, paves the way for the production of ‘hot tomatoes’ as capsaicinoid biofactories through targeted genome manipulation," they write.
“The convergence of basic knowledge with the rapidly growing repertoire of genome-manipulation tools should pave the way for engineering this and other more imaginative biosynthetic pathways using the tomato fruit as a chassis.”
‘Benefits to manufacturers and consumers’
Agustin Zsögön, a plant biologist at the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil and senior paper author, said there could be practical benefits for food manufacturers in sourcing spicy tomatoes for their products rather than using, say, a blend of standard tomatoes and chili peppers.
“It is potentially a great way to save space, resources and optimize the production of capsaicins,” he said.
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However, the technology could also be used to breed healthier foods.
“The first harvest of genome edited soybean with improved fatty acid composition is taking place right now. This is just the beginning; we will see more and more crops like this soon,” Zsögön told FoodNavigator-LATAM.
“Unlike conventional genetically modified organisms (GMOs), this technology is poised to benefit the whole of society and not only just the big biotech companies and the producers. The consumers will be treated to healthier and cheaper foods.”
Latino consumers 'absolutely' open to gene-edited crops
According to Zsögön, Latino consumers are “absolutely” open to food that has been developed using gene editing.
“Latin American consumers embraced biotechnology in a way that, unfortunately, European consumers have not, as they have been misled by pressure groups with an agenda,” he added.
The researchers predict their work in capsaicinoids could be applied to other nutrients, paving the way for new functional foods.
For instance, β-Carotene is present in large amounts in sweet potato, winter squash and carrot but 45% of the population carry a genetic mutation that reduces their ability to convert β-carotene into the more active retinol (vitamin A).
Tomatoes with massively increased levels of β-carotene (with subsequent cleavage into vitamin A) would, therefore, represent “a valuable addition to their diet”, they write.
