Major change to fry ups as scientists discover how to grow key ingredient in UK

BRITS can raise a toast — to soon being able to tuck into home-grown baked beans.

A formula found after 50 years in a cupboard means traditionally-imported haricot variety can finally be harvested here.

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Boffins had to give up on the idea at the time because of the miserable British weather.

But climate change and new know-how mean it can now be put into practice.

Food policy expert Prof Tim Lang — from City, University of London — said: “It has been a desperate desire of the British food industry and baked bean manufacturers to have a British baked bean for decades.

“It’s crazy shipping a little bean halfway round the world just to put it in a tin can with some tomato sauce.”

Currently the beans which are doused in tomato sauce for the family favourite are shipped in from the US, Canada, Ethiopia and China.

Health food brands tried marketing British-grown fava plants as “baked beans” but they lacked mass appeal due to the difference in taste.

Now Warwick University has developed seeds which can be sown in early May and harvested before mid-September.

Prof Eric Holub said: “Work I have been involved with dates from the university farm in the 1970s.

“It was put into storage, and it was 2011 that I realised there was some valuable material and started reviving it.”

The first crop is being grown on a commercial scale in fields near Sleaford, Lincs.