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| - Last Updated on September 8, 2023 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
A social media post claims that seedless watermelons are genetically modified organisms and are poisonous. We fact-checked and found this claim to be False.
The Claim
An Instagram post with the caption, “The 👿 is in THE DETAILS. #seedless #gmo #watermelon #walmart” shares a video titled, “Still eating seedless GMO Walmart melons? The narrator in the video later states, “That’s how an organic normal watermelon looks like.. Full of black seeds.
Seedless watermelon is poisonous and will mess with your genes and hormones. Don’t get the seedless one because it’s cheaper.”
Fact Check
What are GMO foods?
GMO is an abbreviation for Genetically Modified Organisms. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines GMOs as organisms (plants, animals, or microorganisms) whose DNA has been changed in a way that won’t affect the natural process of breeding. The process follows transferring selected genes from one organism to another irrespective of whether they are related.
A research paper published in 2017 informs that GMO foods are globally accepted for commercial use because they have perceived benefits to the producer or consumer. They have a lower price and greater health benefits.
As per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), GMO foods have:
- greater shelf life,
- enhanced flavor,
- greater resistance to insects, viruses, and diseases,
- great tolerance to herbicides,
- better nutritional value,
- ability to thrive in the harsh climate and unfavorable soil composition,
- allowed farmers to reduce pesticide use.
Are seedless watermelons genetically modified and poisonous?
No. There is a lack of scientific evidence in proving that either seedless watermelons are genetically modified or poisonous. Seedless watermelons are created through a process called parthenocarpy, which is the development of fruit without fertilization.
In traditional watermelon varieties, seeds develop when the plant’s flowers are pollinated by pollen from male flowers. In the case of seedless watermelons, this is done by crossing a diploid watermelon with a tetraploid watermelon. The resulting fruit is triploid, which means that it has three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. This prevents the development of seeds. In other words, triploid watermelons are created by crossing a diploid (normal) watermelon with a tetraploid (having four sets of chromosomes) watermelon. The resulting triploid plant produces fruits without fully developed seeds, which are often small, soft, and edible.
Parthenocarpy is a natural process that occurs in some plants, such as bananas and grapes. It can also be induced artificially through the use of chemicals or hormones.
Dietitian Nabaruna Ganguly states, “There is some confusion about whether seedless watermelons are genetically modified because the process of cross-breeding can be used to create genetically modified organisms (GMOs). However, the process used to create seedless watermelons does not involve the transfer of genes from one organism to another, which is what is required for a plant to be considered a GMO. Seedless watermelons are safe to eat and have the same nutritional value as seeded watermelons. They are a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium.”
There is no evidence that seedless watermelons are any less safe to eat than seeded watermelons. The absence of mature seeds might slightly alter the texture or flavor of the fruit, but they are not harmful to health.
Botanist Nidhi Singh confirms this and states, “Seedless watermelons are not genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They are the result of careful cross-breeding, a traditional breeding technique that has been used for centuries to improve plants. Seedless watermelons have tiny white seed husks that do not mature and are, therefore infertile. However, they are still nutritionally equivalent to watermelons with seeds.”
In conclusion, seedless watermelons are a result of selective breeding and not genetic modification in the way that GMOs are typically understood. They have been bred to have certain characteristics, but they do not involve the direct manipulation of their genetic material through modern genetic engineering techniques.
Nutritionist Kamna Chauhan also confirms this and states, “No, the claim is not true. Seedless watermelons were invented 50 years ago. The reason behind this is they are triploid, which means there are three copies of a chromosome rather than two. It makes them sterile which means no seeds to pick out. A chromosome is a reason that gives characteristics to living things including watermelon. A seedless watermelon can be a sterile hybrid which is created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon which have 22 chromosomes per cell with a female watermelon flower with 44 chromosome per cell. When the seed gets mature, the white seed coats inside 33 chromosomes, rendering it sterile and they are not able to produce seed. Instead of genetically modified the reason behind this is cross-breeding. Additionally, they are not poisonous and it is perfectly safe to swallow while eating. It contains a chemical called colchicine, which is added to watermelon cells as they are splitting. Seedless watermelon may be a little lower in fiber than seedy variety but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include it in your diet.”
Watermelons offer numerous health benefits. However, a lot of misinformation is also present related to watermelons such as cracks in watermelon represent the presence of pesticides.
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