While society has largely arrived at a place where we accept tattooed human beings, how long before you accept tattooed fruit? I ask the question because the EU has passed legislation that will allow fruit to be lazer tattooed according to Digital Trends:

New regulations have passed in the European Union that will allow produce companies to use iron oxides and hydroxides on the skin of fruit. This combination of chemicals enable companies to laser cut logos, labels, and barcodes onto the food item and make this “tattoo” clearer to the human eye. This technology opens a new way to brand produce that are normally shipped without fancy packaging. Rather than slapping on annoying stickers most people forget to peel off, the laser etching lets the branding become one with the skin – and consumers can eat right through the engravement.

I imagine we’ll get used to it, but I can’t help thinking about how it might change what we expect nature to look like. I imagine my children’s children walking through orchids of orange trees asking when the tattoo or engraving is going to ‘grow’?

I then I shudder at the opportunity that will open up to marketers to cross-merchandise using the technology. So not only will my banana come with all it’s details tattooed onto it, but I’ll also have some yogurt branding that will ‘help me’ consider other products that will make my simple banana a fuller and healthier meal! Ferrari’s F1 car came to mind:

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I’m not sure how much I’m going to like this, no matter how environmentally friendly it is? I want my orange to be just be an orange, the way nature intended.