Scientists have come up with a blue strawberry by splicing them with fish genes

My girlfriend found this interesting article about a blue strawberry. Naturally it got our attention, one because it looked awesome and two because of how they did it and why. This just kind of opens up the whole GMO can of worms but I think it's pretty cool despite how they did it.

Scientists are genetically modifying strawberries in order to allow
them to resist freezing temperatures better. They're doing it by
artificial transfer of genes from a species of fish called the Arctic
Flounder Fish. The Arctic Flounder Fish produces an anti-freeze that
allows it to protect himself in freezing waters.

They isolated the gene that produces this anti-freeze and introduced it
to the strawberry. The result is a strawberry that looks blue and
doesn't turn to mush or degrade after being placed in the freezer. While
they're not in production, research is ongoing. Would you eat blue strawberries?

Original Article
Linked Article

Thought I would share it on ATS. Blue strawberry is just crazy. I want to see a green one next.

-SAP-

I am fundamentally against the blue strawberry and everything it stands for.

I feel kinda sick just seeing it.

They can go play God in someone else's kitchen. I'll grow my own before I eat GMO produce...and crossed from a friggen animal? Oh.. Nice.. What's next? Cactus spines on a canine for super-security dogs?? Bad Hollywood Movie....someone change channel please.

does it taste like fish?

I don't understand why we cant just leave food and other things alone we have nothing to gain by polluting our food source and modifying animals... Its going to cause problems and already is causing problems.

reply to post by SloAnPainful


@dc4lifeskater, you beat me to it lol

I guess this can be another way we obtain our omega-3 fatty acids.

reply to post by slowisfast

Yeah it is indeed strange but it looks cool none the less, but it would be weird to eat one for the first time...

reply to post by slowisfast

Yeah I don't really have much of opinion on the GMO subject. Some subject I just don't touch either because I know little about them or I just don't like the subject in general.

I find it crazy they can just splice animal DNA with plant life though...I would rather have it the old fashioned way.

reply to post by IEtherianSoul9

It was DNA I don't know if it will produce Omega 3's or not...It would be crazy if it did.

-SAP-

I wonder how safe the anti-freeze is to consume. Just because it comes from a fish doesn't mean it won't be toxic or have long term side-effects.

We have been modifying crops for thousands of years so I see no problem with it, would you all eat a carrot if it was purple? well you should because a carrot is supposed to be purple not orange because we made it orange in the 17th century.
Test it yes but If it means food can be kept longer in better condition I'm all for it.

reply to post by boymonkey74


its one thing to genetically modify a food or animal its another thing to modify a plant or animal by selective breeding or cross breeding naturally.

reply to post by dc4lifeskater


Or mixing the two for that matter. Plant life and animal life...That's treading some places we shouldn't be treading. Leave plant life with plant life and animal life with animal life...

-SAP-

SO ahhh, what was wrong with the ones God made?

You know.... the red ones?

reply to post by Murgatroid

Scientists are genetically modifying strawberries in order to allow
them to resist freezing temperatures better.

Well I guess some people want frost resistant strawberries...

Blue just looks cool though.

-SAP-

Is the antifreeze OK to ingest by humans? Are there any side effects? How does this antifreeze affect the lining of the stomach? What does the strawberry taste like? Smell like? Does the antifreeze change chemical composition after applying high heat? Moderate heat? What if I make strawberry jam with them? Will the antifreeze change composition and poison me and everyone else?

If I can think of these, how many more questions need to be answered? Of course, the real questions is, "Do they really care about those questions as long as they can make a buck off of it?"

/TOA

reply to post by The Old American


All good questions, prolly none of them have been answered...As sad as that is...

-SAP-

Originally posted by SloAnPainful
Well I guess some people want frost resistant strawberries...

Ahhhh so....

Guess I should read the OP text BEFORE I post.

My bad.

I HATE GMO"S in the food supply

I do not think it would be wise to dismiss this technology, just control it.
We have came so far in such a short period of time. If you look at the past 60 years most of our technological advancements happened with in that time. I can only imagine the next 60, it seems as if time is moving faster.

I would be willing to be with in the next 60 years the technology to manipulate molecules will be available to the public. Just imagine being able to turn a piece of wood into a piece of steal by rearranging molecules.

Originally posted by slowisfast
I am fundamentally against the blue strawberry and everything it stands for.

And I am fundamentally FOR the blue strawberry.

Science = good

Originally posted by boymonkey74
We have been modifying crops for thousands of years so I see no problem with it, would you all eat a carrot if it was purple? well you should because a carrot is supposed to be purple not orange because we made it orange in the 17th century.
Test it yes but If it means food can be kept longer in better condition I'm all for it.

My neighbor (an organic gardener) grows purple carrots. They taste the same as the orange ones, I've eaten a lot of them. Don't know about the blue strawberries though. It's not because they're blue or have been altered, it's just the thought of them being altered with fish!

Something about that blue strawberry looks a little fishy. Not me, I like my strawberries red Fish might be alright for fertilizer though.

Why am I reminded of this old commercial...

"...I'm not trying...you try it"

"...I'M not trying it...Hey, let's get Mikey"