Scientists in the United States have developed a purple tomato.
The special kind of tomato was created by making changes to its DNA. The creators say the tomatoes will last longer and could help make people healthier.
Though the color is unusual, what’s really special about the tomatoes is that they have very high levels of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are found naturally in plants like blueberries, blackberries, and red cabbage. Scientists believe antioxidants may help prevent heart disease and help fight against diseases like diabetes. But usually, tomatoes naturally only have a small number of antioxidants in the
As part of its research, the scientists tested its tomatoes on mice that were likely to get cancer. The mice who were fed the purple tomatoes lived about 30% longer than the mice who were fed normal tomatoes. Though that’s good news, experiments on mice don’t always predict what effects on humans will be like.
