The fruit and veg that graces our plates today would have been unrecognisable to our ancestors, researchers have revealed.
A new series of pictures shows what everything from the watermelon to the banana originally looked like.
Farmers have been developing new ways to improve their crops since the birth of agriculture some 12,000 years ago, and technologies from selective breeding to genetically modifying plants has been used.
Modern techniques genetically modifying crops involved transferring DNA, but our ancestors began altering their food through crossbredding or planting seeds at different times of the year. New research shows photographs of what some popular fruits and vegetables looked like before humans grew them for food
According to Bruce Chasey, executive associate director of the Biotechnology Center at the University of Illinois, we altered these plants so much that they developed into crops that would never survive in the wild without human care.
During the 1980s genetic manipulation of foods started to take off when researchers discovered it was possible to transfer specific pieces of DNA from one organism to another.
But it wasn’t until 1994 were these modified foods available to consumers.
Calgene, a biotech research firm in California, unveiled the first genetically engineered crop to the market that year, the Flavr Savr tomato, reported The New York Times.
WILD WATERMELOM VS. MODERN WATERMELON
Wild watermelon (pictured).The painting which was created between 1645 and 1672, shows swirly shapes in the center that is marked off in six separate sections. Humans have designed watermelons to have the red, fleshy center
Modern watermelon (pictured). Researchers double the number of chromosomes in traditional melons by adding the chemical colchicine
A painting from the 17th-century artist, Giovanni Stanchi, displays a watermelon that no living person has ever seen.
The painting which was created between 1645 and 1672, shows swirly shapes in the center that is marked off in six separate sections, reported Vox
Humans have designed watermelons to have the red, fleshy center, as seen in the photograph.
And if you have ever had a seedless watermelon, you can be sure it was genetically modified.
Researchers double the number of chromosomes in traditional melons by adding the chemical colchicine.
Our ancient ancestors ‘built’ crops into what they wanted – bigger, tastier and juicer, reported Medical Daily.
‘While GMOs may involve splicing genes from other organisms (such as bacteria) to give plants desired traits – like resistance to pest, selective breeding is a slower process whereby farmers select and grow crops,’ said Tanya Lewisin Business Insider.
Researchers were able to contain the gene that produces a protein that makes tomatoes squishy.
This tomato caused an enormous media stir. ‘The tomato stays riper, longer than the nonengineered variety, and they say it’s tastier,’ Tom Brokaw told his nightly news viewers.
Company officials said every tomato they could get to market was sold.
WILD BANANA VS. MODERN BANANA
Wild banana (pictured).The first bananas may have been cultivated some 7,000 years ago and as early as 10,000 in what is now Papua New Guinea and they have been found to grow in Asia. The ancient ancestor of the modern bananas is the Musa acuminate, a plant that had small okra looking pods
Modern banana (pictured). The ones we buy at the grocery story, may be full blown hybrids but are much tastier and have more nutrients than those our ancestors snacked on
The first bananas may have been cultivated some 7,000 years ago and as early as 10,000 in what is now Papua New Guinea and they have been found to grow in Asia, reported Smithsonian.com
The ancient ancestor of the modern bananas is the Musa acuminate, a plant that had small okra looking pods.
This was eventually crossed with Musa balbisiana, which created plantains that eventually produced the bright yellow fruits we have today.
The modern day banana has a long history of modification.
The ones we buy at the grocery story, may be full blown hybrids but are much tastier and have more nutrients than those our ancestors snacked on.
But sales declined a few years later, when the firm was bought out by Monsanto, who eighty-sixed the Flavr Savr tomato.
In the Unites States 93 percent of soybeans and 88 percent of corn is genetically modified and most of it ends up in unlabeled processed food.
Certain foods, such as squash and papaya, have been altered to resist diseases.
WILD EGGPLANT VS. MODERN EGGPLANT
Wild Eggplant (pictured).In the past, these vegetables were be found in all different shapes and sizes such as white, azure, purple and yellow. And some of the earliest ones had spines in the area where they stem connects to the flower
Modern eggplant (pictured). Through crossbreading, the spikes are no long a part of the egg plant and it isn’t the orange like shape it once was
If you stumble upon the early ancestor of an eggplant, you probably won’t know what it is.
In the past, these vegetables were be found in all different shapes and sizes such as white, azure, purple and yellow.
And some of the earliest ones had spines in the area where they stem connects to the flower.
Through crossbreading, the spikes are no long a part of the egg plant and it isn’t the orange like shape it once was.
Today it is the oblong purple vegetable you find in most grocery stores.
There hasn’t been enough research to confirm the risks of GMOs, even though the FDA has labeled them as ‘safe’.
Robert Goldberg, a plant molecular biologist at the University of California, told Scientific American, ‘Frankenstein monsters, things crawling out of the lab.’
WILD CARROT VS. MODERN CARROT
Wild carrot (pictured).Found in Persia and Asia Minor around the 10th century, they were purple or white root-like structures. Its seeds made their way as far as Europe about 5,000 years ago and it is still found today in temperate regions
Modern carrot (pictured).The modern carrot has also become an annual winter crop, compared to its ancestors that thrived in warmer climates
Wild carrots are unrecognizable today.
Found in Persia and Asia Minor around the 10th century, they were purple or white root-like structures.
Its seeds made their way as far as Europe about 5,000 years ago and it is still found today in temperate regions.
The orange-ish vegetable we know today was domesticate in the 1900s, which started as a golden ball and transformed into the long orange carrot today.
The modern carrot has also become an annual winter crop, compared to its ancestors that thrived in warmer climates.
‘This the most depressing thing I’ve ever dealt with.’
But David Zilberman, a U.C. Berkeley agricultural and environmental economist, believes the use of GM crops ‘has lowered the price of food.’
‘It has increased farmer safety by allowing them to use less pesticide,’ Zilberman said.
WILD CORN VS. MODERN CORN
Wild corn (pictured).Wild maize, or corn, has been a staple for human agriculture and has been altered since the beginning of its time. The domesticati on of corn began with ancient farmers in Mexico, who pinked kernels to plant and noticed not all the plants were the same
Modern corn (pictured).Modification has changed the types and amounts of starch it produces, where it can be grown and the length, size and shape of the entire vegetable
Wild maize, or corn, has been a staple for human agriculture and has been altered since the beginning of its time.
The domestication of corn began with ancient farmers in Mexico, who pinked kernels to plant and noticed not all the plants were the same.
For western civilization, the story of corn began in 1492 when Columbus’s men discovered this new grain in Cuba.
An American native, it was exported to Europe rather than being imported, as were other major grains.
Like most early history, there is some uncertainty as to when corn first went to Europe.
Some say it went back with Columbus to Spain, while others report that it was not returned to Spain until the second visit of Columbus.
Modification has changed the types and amounts of starch it produces, where it can be grown and the length, size and shape of the entire vegetable.
‘It has raised the output of corn, cotton and soy by 20 to 30 percent, allowing some people to survive who would not have without it.’
He also believes if this technique was more accepted in the world, the price of food would be lower and people wouldn’t die from starvation.
WILD PEACH VS. MODERN PEACH
Wild peach (pictured). Peaches were first domesticated around 4,000 BC by ancient Chinese, who reported they tasted very earthy and salty. The fruits were only 25 mm in size and had little flesh to chomp on — just about 64 percent of the peach was edible
Peaches were first domesticated around 4,000 BC by ancient Chinese, who reported they tasted very earthy and salty.
The fruits were only 25 mm in size and had little flesh to chomp on — just about 64 percent of the peach was edible.
Modern peach (pictured). Farmers are now selectively breeding them, which has produced the same fruit but 64 times bigger, 27 percent juicier and 4 percent sweeter. The largest peach to be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records was 2.5 inches to 3 inches in diameter
Farmers are now selectively breeding peaches, which has produced the same fruit but 64 times bigger, 27 percent juicier and 4 percent sweeter.
The largest peach to be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records was 2.5 inches to 3 inches in diameter.
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