Is Lettuce Genetically Modified? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Lettuce Varieties

Lettuce is also known as leaf lettuce, goose lettuce, wosun, and maizai. It originated along the Mediterranean coast of Europe, domesticated from wild species, and was first eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It has a long history of introduction into China, with more cultivation in the southeastern coastal areas, especially in the suburbs of major cities, and in the Guangdong and Guangxi regions. Let us take a look below at whether lettuce is genetically modified!

Is lettuce genetically modified?

Lettuce is not genetically modified. Lettuce is genetically modified, but apart from the large-scale imported genetically modified soybeans and corn, other genetically modified vegetables are uncommon. Although China once approved other genetically modified vegetables such as genetically modified tomatoes, genetically modified tomatoes have basically been eliminated worldwide because their skins are too thick and their taste is poor.

What genetically modified foods are there?

1. Tomato: I believe many people like eating tomatoes, and precisely because most people around the world like this vegetable, scientists have studied tomatoes more deeply, and found that tomato genes are relatively easy to transfer, so the tomatoes eaten today are slowly moving onto the path of genetic modification, and there is even a trend toward commercial production. It is worth mentioning that although genetically modified tomato production has been approved in China, large-scale commercial production has not yet begun.

2. Bell pepper: In 1998, with approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, genetically modified colored peppers were once allowed to be commercially planted, but genetically modified colored peppers seem not to have received much welcome from the public in China, and today genetically modified colored peppers are basically no longer produced, though it cannot be ruled out that some merchants violate government regulations and plant genetically modified colored peppers without authorization.

3. Corn: Genetically modified corn has already been allowed to be imported into China from the United States, and especially on January 7, 2015, a certain agricultural university even developed a genetically modified corn variety with insect-resistant rice, and won an award for it.

4. Rapeseed: We all know that rapeseed can be used to produce oil, so many people who study agriculture focus on researching it. Today genetically modified rapeseed still faces various controversies among governments of various countries, and in the end the concern is still about toxicity and allergies. Although the planting of genetically modified rapeseed has not yet begun to be promoted in China, genetically modified rapeseed seeds are imported.

5. Soybean: When we go to buy cooking oil, we often find that some cooking oils are labeled “genetically modified soybeans”. In fact, genetically modified soybeans have already begun to enter the Chinese market on a large scale, and are mainly used for cooking oil processing. As for whether genetically modified soybeans are sold on the market, it is unknown, so if you do not want to eat genetically modified cooking oil, it is recommended to read the product label clearly before buying.

Characteristics of genetically modified vegetables

1. Size: They do not have the uneven shapes of traditional vegetables; they are generally uniform in size, large and elongated in shape, bright in color, and tender in texture. For example, soybeans should be shaped somewhat like an animal kidney, a little flat, with a waistline, but today's soybeans are all round, like peas, and have very high yields.

2. Taste: They do not have the original authentic taste of traditional vegetables, and whether in smell or flavor before or after cooking, they are clearly different from traditional vegetables. Traditional corn is generally yellow corn or white corn with a slight sweetness, while the sweet corn popular today has a very high sweetness, as if honey had been added. Sweet corn kernels have less waxy surface, a tender texture, and some are also glutinous.

3. Season: Non-local seasonal vegetables. A major characteristic of all kinds of vegetables is that they are strongly seasonal and regional. Some non-local seasonal vegetables are obtained by transferring cold-tolerant or high-temperature-tolerant genes, such as out-of-season winter jujubes.

4. Color: Different from traditional colors, such as colored cotton, black rice peanuts, and purple sweet potatoes.

5. Pests: Any vegetable that pests like to visit is not genetically modified, and any vegetable that pests fear, that is, one with no pests or very few pests, is absolutely genetically modified.

6. Yield: Genetically modified vegetables generally have a yield considerably higher than traditional vegetables in the first few years.

7. Seed saving: Genetically modified vegetables are generally very difficult to save seed from.