Scientists may be one step closer to tackling food waste after designing a banana that doesn't go brown.Developed by Tropic, a Norwich-based biotech company, the gene-edited fruit promises to stay fresh and yellow for 12 hours after being opened, and withstand bangs during transportation.

It's the latest in a series of modified fruits and vegetables, with other scientists working on lettuce that wilts slower, as well as bruise-resistant apples and potatoes. With estimates that 33% of the world's harvested produce is never consumed, these developments mark a significant step towards tackling food waste, according to scientists. Tropic chief executive Gilad Gershon said: “Food waste is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It’s very bad, clearly. Bananas are the fourth biggest crop globally, but also one where the perishability is very high. Some estimates say that 50% of the bananas grown are never eaten.”

To create the banana, Tropic worked out how to disable a gene responsible for the production of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase.

It has been given the green light to be sold in the Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, the US and Canada, and Gershon believes they will comply with the UK's Genetic Technology Act, once secondary legislation is passed later this year. 

The enzyme also causes browning in tomatoes, melon, kiwi and mushrooms, highlighting potential future areas of research.

Tomatoes, lettuce and aubergines with a longer shelf life are "all in the pipeline" at the Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Abu Dhabi, according to Dr Martin Kottackal, which is looking into their stay-green genes.

Other scientists are investigating how to make the waxy protective layer on some fruits thicker, such as apples and grapes, which means it may be less susceptible to bruising.

It follows confirmation today that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking at speeding up the approval process for selling lab-grown food in the UK.

If it goes ahead, products such as lab-grown meat, dairy and sugar could be on sale in the UK for human consumption for the first time within two years.