On Feb. 16, 2024, the Australian Government announced it had issued QUT a licence to commercially release QCAV-4, a genetically modified (GM) variety of Cavendish banana designed to help save the worldﾒs Cavendish banana production.

The QCAV-4 banana is the worldﾒs first GM banana to be approved for commercial production and also the first Australian GM fruit approved for growing in Australia. QCAV-4 offers a potential safety net against the devastating Panama Disease tropical race 4 (TR4) which threatens the global US$20 billion banana industry. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has also today notified the Food Ministersﾒ Meeting (FMM) that it has approved QCAV-4 as suitable for human consumption.