Syngenta's healthy tomatoes

Tomatoes

A monopoly on specific tomatoes with a higher content of healthy compounds known as flavonols was granted by the EPO to the Swiss company Syngenta in August 2015. The patent covers the plants, the seeds and the fruits. Patent EP1515600 describes the crossing of wild tomatoes with domesticated varieties. The original tomatoes were collected in countries such as Peru and Chile. In 2016, the patent led to the filing of a record mass opposition by around 65.000 individuals from 59 countries and 32 organisations, supported by NO PATENTS ON SEEDS!. In January 2019 Syngenta has withdrawn its patent.

Current media reports can be found here.

Photos of handing over the opposition (May 2016)

Patent file on EPO website