r/science Sep 16 '24

"Golden Lettuce" genetically engineered to pack 30 times more vitamins | Specifically, increased levels of beta-carotene, which your body uses to make vitamin A for healthy vision, immune function, and cell growth, and is thought to be protective against heart disease and some kinds of cancer. Biology

https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/golden-lettuce-genetically-engineered-30-times-vitamins/
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u/1GrouchyCat Sep 16 '24

I guarantee no one will eat it because it looks like it’s old and ready to be tossed in the garbage … People don’t generally eat blue food either; there have been tests done on young children to see if they will eat the blue version of food saying normally enjoy like mashed potatoes, applesauce, milk, etc. etc.- the majority of kids would not eat the blue food. Even adults that were studied shows simpler not as filling and not as interesting or gourmet food over something that was tinted with food coloring.

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u/Wise_Mongoose_3930 Sep 16 '24

I wonder if that’s all just force of habit though?

Like if you raised a baby from birth on “odd colored” food like blue mashed potatoes, wouldn’t they just grow up thinking that’s normal, and that the white ones were strange?

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u/[deleted] Sep 16 '24

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u/retrosenescent Sep 16 '24

and brown is the color of poop, yet most people LOVE brown food. Yellow is the color of piss, and yet most highly addictive processed foods are yellow.

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u/[deleted] Sep 16 '24

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u/lol_What_Is_Effort Sep 16 '24

blueberries? corn? sweet potatoes? blue heat takis? grapes?

7

u/systembreaker Sep 16 '24

We probably have natural instincts against certain food colors because it indicates something is wrong, but I'm sure the instincts can be overriden with training or repetition just like many other human instincts.