Under the leadership of project manager Sarah Achilles, Jarman International has collaborated with Tokyo-based startup Sanatech Seed Co., Ltd. on a research project centered on their Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomato. Developed in partnership with the University of Tsukuba, it is the world’s first genome-edited tomato with high GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) accumulation–an amino acid that helps calm the nervous system, promote relaxation, and maintain balanced mood levels.
While other high GABA tomatoes exist, they are often produced using a cultivation method that applies water stress to the tomatoes, which is labor-intensive and results in lower yield. On the other hand, Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomatoes have been modified using Nobel Prize in Chemistry-winning CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing technology to contain 4 to 5 times the amount of GABA as regular tomatoes. According to research conducted by Sanatech, this is the equivalent of 12 regular commercial cherry tomatoes.
Furthermore, the tomatoes are rich in glutamic acid, which induces a deep umami taste.
“I was very impressed by the full-bodied flavor that maintained a great balance between acidity and richness.”
Sarah Achilles
These factors combined with their particularly high amounts of skin-beautifying components–lycopene and proline–make this product one of a kind. Below are four function claims that have been approved by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
- 1 tomato/1 tube of puree can lower blood pressure of people with high blood pressure
- 2 tomatoes/1 tube of puree can relieve temporary stress from work/studies
- 5~7 tomatoes/4 tubes of puree can improve sleep quality (for example, a deeper and more refreshing sleep)
- 5~7 tomatoes/4 tubes of puree can protect skin health by maintaining skin elasticity
“While Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomatoes can be enjoyed on their own as a snack, I loved adding them to breakfast plates, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as hot dishes featuring tomato-based sauces or as toppings. I even made them into pickles!”
“Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomato puree, meanwhile, comes in portable and storable 15g tubes: Think a delicious tomato juice shot!! The convenient packaging means you can consume the puree straight from the tube as part of a meal, use it like ketchup, or pop it in your bag (as I often did) to enjoy when you’re out and about and need a bit of a boost.”
Sarah Achilles
“As a professional translator, writer and business consultant, I tend to work long hours, let stress build up, and sometimes find it hard to get a good night’s sleep. After incorporating the products into my everyday life for nearly two months, I feel better rested and more relaxed overall, and I’ve also noticed that my skin is firmer.”
At present, Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomato products are available exclusively in Japan at certain local retailers and via the store operated by Aozora Tomato Gakuen–a bidirectional community platform for home gardeners and health food enthusiasts to share the positive influence of genome-edited crop and food trends globally. In the future however, Sanatech hopes to launch the products in other markets as well as develop additional High GABA® tomato products.
To learn more about Sanatech, GABA, genome-editing technology, and Sicilian Rouge High GABA® tomato products, check out the links below.
Sanatech Life Science: https://sanatech-seed.com/en/
Aozora Tomato Gakuen (Japanese only): https://aozora.sanatech-seed.co.jp/