Experts Develop Grapefruit Without the Bitterness

“Kids usually don't like grapefruit because it's too bitter for them,” says Dr. Nir Carmi from Volcani Center in Rishon LeZion, Israel. Dr. Carmi and team edited a gene that led to a reduction in the bitter-tasting chemicals in grapefruit.

Citrus fruits are known for their sourness, which is due to the acidity of the fruits. However, the bitterness of citrus fruits is linked to several compounds. Grapefruit's bitterness is due to a chemical called naringin, as well as from closely related molecules called neohesperidin and poncirin.

Dr. Carmi's team disabled one gene for the enzyme that produces the three bitter-tasting chemicals using CRISPR gene editing. Since it takes years for grapefruit trees to bear fruit, they have not yet tasted the CRISPR grapefruit. However, the three chemicals have been shown to be absent from the leaves of the CRISPR-edited trees, suggesting that the fruits will also exhibit the same.

According to Dr. Carmi, other research teams are conducting similar studies, but their team is at the most advanced stage of development.

Read more from Volcani Institute and Veritas News.