The Flavr Savr Tomato

The very first genetically engineered whole food hit grocery shelves in 1994. The Flavr Savr tomato, developed by Calgene, was designed to ripen on the vine, and then stay ripe. Regular tomatoes tend to rot quickly once they're picked, a serious problem since most tomatoes must be shipped long distances. Despite its design for a long shelf life, it didn't last very long in stores. The tomato was pulled off grocery shelves by 1996 and is now commonly used in mass production of tomato based products.