Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Shrinking The Watermelon

Posted by Hemos on from the very-very-tiny dept.

Makarand writes "Scientists who have already eliminated seeds and sweetened the watermelon have now miniaturized this fruit to the size of a cantaloupe. Only the outer speckled shell looks give a clue to what fruit it really is. Syngenta, a Swiss agribusinesses' North American subsidiary has brought this minimelon to the market in 30 states to satisfy customers who favor something that is easier to store and less troublesome to prepare for consumption. No biotech or genetic engineering at work here - the company merely crossed different breeds of watermelons to produce the minimelon."

3 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No genetic engineering? I don't think so.... by thomasmd · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would agree. But let's face it, the average joe on the street (people who have never heard of /. nor care to) is going to have a very different view when you present them with a watermelon produced by mucking about with the DNA in the laboratory versus one whose parents were played with in the greenhouse. Just look at the European Union and their views on GM food. That was my main point.

  2. Re:No genetic engineering? I don't think so.... by madhippy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    GM often seems to introduce 'alien' dna into the host - i.e. there no way on earth crossing a pig and with spinach that you'll get offspring.

    spinach and pigs

  3. Re:Easier to prepare? by Jeremiah+Blatz · · Score: 3, Insightful
    and less troublesome to prepare for consumption

    I never knew it was that hard to cut a watermelon into quarters and put it on a plate.

    Umm, hello, an average watermelon weighs 20 pounds. Cutting it up isn't the problem, moving it around is.

    And do you really want to eat 4 pounds of watermelon at a sitting?