27 Nov Scientists work on bubblegum-flavoured fruit

Queensland scientists are trying to grow a variety of strawberry that tastes like bubblegum.

The new strawberry is being trialled at a research station of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) at Nambour on the state’s Sunshine Coast.

Principal horticulturalist Mark Herrington says the bubblegum-flavoured strawberry will not be in the shops for several years, but predicts it will be a big hit with the kids.

“We have one that we call ‘bubblegum’ and it’s reminiscent of bubblegum, but it’s still a little way away,” he said.

“That will be interesting – just like cars, we want to design strawberries for what the consumer wants.”

Mr Herrington also says researchers are exporting their strawberry technology to Turkey.

The Rubygem strawberry was also developed at the Nambour research station.

He says the fruit is now being grown and sold under its variety name in Turkey, with royalties returned to Australia.

“It’s actually exporting the intellectual property, in the sense that we have given people in Turkey permission to grow the plants and from there, they’re exporting from Turkey into Moscow and Eastern Europe,” he said.

“We’re not actually exporting the fruit, we’re exporting the intellectual property.”

Source: abc.net.au