Uzbek Scientists Developing Tomato-Based Edible COVID-19 Vaccine

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th August, 2021) Uzbek scientists are conducting trials of an edible, transgenic, tomato-based vaccine against COVID-19, and they have already yielded definite results, a representative of the national academy of sciences told Sputnik on Friday.

"The experiment showed that the S-protein of the coronavirus, synthesized in a tomato, enters the intestines and awakens the immune system. The produced antibodies will fight the pathogen," the scientist said.

The research is being conducted at the academy's Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics and set to be completed by the end of 2021.

It is very cheap to produce such vaccines in plants, the scientist said, noting that it is a safe and harmless product, and such "edible" vaccination is good for children.