UK approves gene-edited bananas for supermarket sale

The UK government has passed a law allowing gene-edited crops to be sold in English supermarkets for the first time. Companies can apply for approval from November 13, and products could appear in shops in 2024. Gene editing changes a plant's own DNA without adding genes from other species. One UK company, Tropic, has developed a banana that does not go brown or bruise easily. Scientists are also working on strawberries that stay fresh longer and tomatoes with extra vitamin D. Companies can declare their own products safe without independent testing. The UK was able to move faster on this because it left the EU and its stricter food rules. The government says the new law will help farmers deal with climate change.