Tired of bananas turning brown before you’ve had the chance to eat them?

The infuriating problem could soon be a thing of the past – after scientists developed a gene-edited variety that stays fresher for longer.

Experts at a British firm used a laboratory technique called CRISPR to tweak three genes that cause the fruit to brown.

It means the bananas will last for up to day once they have been peeled or cut – and that they will last longer and better be able to withstand bumps and bruises.

The variety has now reached the final approval stage with food safety regulators before it can be legally sold to the public. And, if given the green light, the bananas could soon be available in your local supermarket.

The technique developed by Norfolk-based Tropic Biosciences stops the plant from producing an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO) which drives the browning process.

The Environment Secretary has approved a marketing notice for the variety, but it must now go through checks by the Food Standards Agency.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says banana browning is responsible for 'around 20 per cent of banana yield losses'. Stopping the waste, it argues, would improve profitability for farmers as well as extending bananas' shelf-life for consumers.

A Defra notice reads: 'The process of enzymatic browning can affect fruit appearance, taste and texture and can result in significant losses of banana fruit yields.'

Figures suggest around a million bananas are thrown away every day in the UK because they ripen so quickly.

The notice explains that the new gene-edited variety 'is intended for import, retail and consumption purposes akin to conventional banana fruit'.

Earlier this year, the bananas were given regulatory approval to be sold in Japan and Brazil.

'Tropic's non-browning banana introduces a game-changing attribute: it stays fresh, yellow and appetising long after peeling and slicing,' the company said.

'Launched commercially in 2025, Tropic's non-browning banana was the world's first new banana variety in more than 75 years, delivering the same taste and texture consumers expect while remaining fresh for longer after cutting.

'By reducing spoilage and extending usability, the variety supports new retail opportunities, more efficient distribution and lowers the environmental footprint of banana consumption.'

Gene editing involves making small, specific changes to the existing DNA of a product, or removing a section of DNA.

The process differs from genetic modification, which adds new genes to a crop.

A Defra spokesman said: 'Precision breeding offers huge potential to boost food security, cut pesticide use, increase crop yields and enhance disease resistance.

'This is a great example of how innovation could help to reduce food waste and improve the sustainability of our food system while keeping our world-leading standards in place.'

Earlier this year scientists announced they had tweaked the DNA of the strawberry plant, keeping the fruit in season for longer.

Increasing the availability of British strawberries would reduce reliance on imports from Spain, Morocco and Egypt during the winter.

Gene-edited tomatoes, which contain as much vitamin D as two eggs or 28g tuna, are also up for review with Defra.

Meanwhile, researchers say they have bred cows with 'elite genetics' that could see tastier steaks, burgers and mince on supermarket shelves in the UK in just three years.