Call for comment on a GM purple tomato

Published

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food derived from genetically modified (GM) tomato lines. 

The GM Purple Tomato has been modified to contain the Del and Ros1-N genes from the snapdragon plant (Antirrhinum majus), which enable it to produce natural blue pigments (anthocyanins) as it ripens, resulting in both purple skin and flesh.

If approved, the GM Purple Tomato will be sold fresh, as a whole tomato, or used as an ingredient in processed food products such as sun-dried tomatoes or pastes.

Our safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns with food derived from purple tomato lines containing event Del/Ros1-N. It is as safe as food from conventional tomato varieties.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said this is the sixth genetically modified food being assessed through our shared process with Health Canada, which streamlines approvals while maintaining our rigorous safety standards.

‘If approved, food from these tomato lines would need to be labelled as genetically modified under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed choices,’ Dr Cuthbert said.

This application relates only to the use of the GM Purple Tomato as food in Australia and New Zealand. An application for commercial cultivation of the GM Purple Tomato in Australia is being assessed by the Gene Technology Regulator. Cultivation in New Zealand would require separate approval by the Environmental Protection Authority. The importation of viable seeds into either country is subject to separate biosecurity and quarantine requirements. These are managed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Australia and the Ministry for Primary Industries in New Zealand.

To have your say on this application, visit the FSANZ Consultation Hub. Submissions close at 11.59pm (Canberra time) Wednesday 10 September 2025.

What happens to my feedback?

FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application. 

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period. 

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