Canterbury scientists say they're getting closer to growing fruit without a tree, vine, or bush. 

The Food by Design research team is 18-months into a five year programme, aiming to produce fruit from cells. 

Co-leader Samantha Baldwin told Mike Hosking that at the moment they're working on growing cell clusters and then fruit tissue. 

She said the goal is to produce a product which provides the same eating experience as a fruit, but without the pips or cores. 

Baldwin added that lab grown fruit could be a solution to urban population growth. 

LISTEN ABOVE