Genetically-edited tomatoes and strawberries could hit British supermarket shelves soon
The supplemented fruit can provide vitamin D equivalent to two eggs or 28 grams of tuna
Gene-edited fruit could hit the supermarket shelves for the first time - including long lasting strawberries and vitamin D enriched tomatoes.
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The Government is set to grant marketing notices for precision-bred products, which will need to be approved by the Food Standards Agency before they can be sold.
'Sunshine' tomatoes are among the most anticipated products, cultivated at John Innes Centre in Norfolk, and boosted with enhanced levels of vitamin D.
The supplemented fruit can provide vitamin D equivalent to two eggs or 28 grams of tuna.
Eight strawberry varieties have been developed by American firm Simplot to produce fruit over a longer period.
Scientists said the genetic edits could extend the British strawberry-growing season without altering the appearance or taste of the fruit itself, The Telegraph reports.
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However, there will not be labels identifying the gene-edited produce on supermarket shelves.
Gene editing is a scientific process of making small alterations to a plant's DNA. This is different from genetic modification, where new genetic material is sometimes added.
The new tomatoes were developed by deactivating a gene responsible for producing an enzyme that converts vitamin D3 into cholesterol.
Defra has welcomed the fortified tomatoes as an answer to the "endemic vitamin D deficiency" in Britain.
Professor Cathie Martin, who heads the laboratory behind the tomatoes, said: "This is an important step in getting the tomato approved to go to market in England."
Professor Martin added that the vitamin-enriched fruit "could one day be a low-cost, simple, plant-based solution that can improve diets across the world".