Gene-editing won’t save our fruit

The other day, I had a dismaying experience while making my usual frugal lunch. Usually, a cheese sandwich does me. Two slices bread, salted butter, thick bits of the maturest cheddar Ocado has to offer, and a grind of salt and pepper: a lunch fit for a king. But even kings like to change things up a bit from time to time. Custom has an established track record of staling things.

So when I spotted, lurking at the bottom of the crisper, a solitary tomato, blemishless and an inviting deep red in colour, I thought: what the hell, you only live once. A cheese and tomato sandwich it would be, and hang the expense. But long story short, or short story shorter, this beautiful looking tomato – despite being one of the supposedly fancy ones that arrives with a twig or two of greenery still attached – was a complete dud.