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Belinda Martineau, "First Fruit: The Creation of the Flavr Savr Tomato and the Birth of Genetically Engineered Foods"

First Fruit presents the story of Calgene's development of the Flavr Savr tomato, the world's first bioengineered food. The book provides interesting insights on many aspects of the project. Calgene and its investors poured more than $200 million into what turned out to be a flawed hypothesis - that Calgene's scientists could produce a firm, great tasting tomato capable of withstanding the rigors of transportation from the fields to supermarkets at a commercially viable price. First Fruit is very well written and conveys its subject matter in a reader-friendly conversational style that those of us without Ph.D.'s can understand.

The book recounts the emotional roller coaster ride inside Calgene as project scientists encountered a seemingly endless string of scientific, regulatory, and legal obstacles. The strain brought out admirable qualities in some people and questionable conduct in others. One highlight is Dr. Martineau's description of her own "inquisition," where she unsuspectingly walked into what had been billed as a staff meeting only to be confronted by seven "true believers" who proceeded to berate her for what they perceived to be her lack of loyalty to the cause. Then there is the story of the arrival of the first truckload of Flavr Savr tomatoes. Numerous Calgene officers and directors traveled to Chicago, hoping to see proof that their miracle fruit had solved the transportation problems that had plagued the industry. Instead, they were greeted by the spectacle of tomato puree leaking from the truck. Not one tomato had survived the trip. One employee repeatedly intoned, presciently, "It's over, it's all over."

First Fruit concludes with a thought provoking discussion of Flavr Savr's impact on the Food and Drug Administration's scrutiny of genetically engineered plant applications. Dr. Martineau relates how the relatively minor genetic engineering involved, together with the apparent absence of any negative side effects, may have lulled the FDA into a false sense of security. Given recent news accounts, such as those of the widespread contamination of numerous corn products with StarLink genetically engineered corn not approved for human consumption, this discussion may be the most important in the book.

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