Last month, the US Department of Agriculture issued a statement on a dazzling eggplant coloured fruit.

“The tomato was modified to alter its colour and enhance its nutritional quality,” the USDA wrote.

“We found the plant is unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated tomatoes … that means, from a plant pest risk perspective, this plant may be safely grown and used in breeding in the United States.”

This purple tomato – and this response – is a pretty big deal. Now, only the Food and Drug Administration approval stands between the tiny UK team which created the vibrant, genetically modified (GM) plant and the US market.

So where does this leave Australia? Are Australian consumers open to the idea of a GMO purple tomato? Either imported from overseas or as seeds for their backyard?

“I think what’s happened is it’s become a lot more familiar to people,” says Preston. “We started growing GM canola in Australia and the sky didn’t fall in.”

Last year, the New South Wales government lifted an 18 year moratorium on GM crops, meaning that every Australian state but Tasmania now allows the growth of genetically modified plants. South Australia lifted the ban the year before.

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