Altered to be resistant to a disease that could cripple the global banana industry, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) says the genetically modified (GM) Cavendish banana, QCAV-4, is permitted for consumption.
Banana line QCAV-4 is the first whole GM fruit assessed and approved by FSANZ and the first GM banana approved in the world. It was developed by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
The university said it had no plans to commercialise the GM banana in Australia as Panama disease is currently contained and effectively managed in the domestic industry. Instead, it will be used as a ‘safety net’ solution if the disease heavily impacts domestic banana farms.
The disease has been found in the Northern Territory and Queensland, but FSANZ said effective management controlled its spread. About 95 per cent of Australia’s bananas are grown in Queensland, and Cavendish banana accounts for 97 per cent of production.
QUT distinguished professor James Dale and his team have been working on developing and growing genetically modified Cavendish bananas for more than 20 years.
“The devastating Panama Disease TR4 is caused by a soil-borne fungus that stays in the ground for more than 50 years, wiping out banana crops and destroying farms for generations.
“It is a huge problem. It has devastated Cavendish plantations in many parts of the world and could cripple the Cavendish banana export industry worldwide,” Dale said.
Field trials that have been underway for six years in the Northern Territory have proven to be highly resistant to the disease.
Panama disease attacks nearly all banana varieties, including Lady Finger and Cavendish – Australia’s most grown variety. The fungus can persist in soil for decades and there are no effective control measures. There is currently no cure and no disease resistant banana varieties have been identified.
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has approved a licence for the commercial cultivation of banana line QCAV-4 in a separate but parallel regulatory assessment.
The FSANZ safety assessment considered the genetic modification, potential unintended changes, the nutrient content compared to conventional bananas, and potential allergenicity or toxicity. It found foods derived from QCAV-4 were as safe and nutritious as comparable conventional banana already in the Australian and New Zealand food supply.
FSANZ said because bananas are a staple part of diets and an important source of nutrition in many countries, the availability of disease-resistant bananas could play a part in ensuring sustainable and secure food production systems in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
It’s estimated that Panama disease could impact 80 per cent of global banana production.
In February, a $2 million project was announced that would use computer vision and machine learning technologies to create a commercially available robotic solution for banana ‘de-handing’. It will be delivered by Hort Innovation and led by QUT, Future Food Systems, the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub and BNL Industrial Solutions
