This article from Zero Hedge prompted me to find out why Okanagan's genetically modified (GM) apple, the Arctic apple, doesn't brown.
First Genetically Modified "Browning-Resistant" Apple Approved For US Consumption
Courtesy of ZeroHedge
With only 37% of the public believing that genetically-modified foods are 'safe', The Arctic apple – which resists browning when cut open or sliced – faces an uphill battle for success. The WSJ reports, that the non-browing trait makes it particularly attractive for restaurants, grocery stores, airlines and other companies that offer pre-sliced fruit.
As the Agriculture Department on Friday approved [the apple] as the first genetically modified apple for sale in the U.S., the debate over the safety (and labelling) of modified foods reignites. While "getting the consumer to buy in to the product has to be the priority," notes Okanagan, environmentalists warn "there is no place in the U.S. or global market for genetically engineered apples."
[Ilene: the statement by environmentalists that there is no place in the US or the world for a genetically engineered apple is so blatantly closed-minded that it's hard to take this group's opinion seriously. If they want to show that non-browning apples are a particular danger, they should focus on the details and demonstrate why the Arctic apples pose a threat. While I can imagine ways in which GMOs would raise legititmate concerns, I don't see anything "scary" with the Arctic apples.]
24 Hours in the life of a GMO Apple…
The Agriculture Department on Friday approved the first genetically modified apple for sale in the U.S., reigniting debate over the safety of modified foods and whether the products should carry mandatory labels.
The difference between Arctic Granny slices, top, and conventional Granny slices on the bottom is seen here.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits, which makes the Arctic apples, said in a statement that it was excited by the USDA approval. The company is:
"working hard to get as many trees in the ground as possible so that you’ll be able to purchase Arctic apples in stores within the next few years."
"The supply-chain can feel confident knowing that Arctic apples are likely the most tested apples in existence," the company said.
"Rigorously reviewed by multiple regulatory bodies, all evaluations reach the same conclusion — Arctic apples present no unique risks and are just as safe and healthful as any other apple."
“We really know that getting the consumer to buy in to the product and the technology has to be the priority,” he said.
The Arctic apple’s non-browning trait works by shutting off an enzyme that initiates the browning process. Mr. Carter said he hopes the Arctic apple can expand the market for apples like baby carrots generated rapid growth in the carrot industry. The new apple also resists bruising and could cut waste for farmers and packers, according to Okanagan.
But as The Wall Street Journal reports,
The Agriculture Department, which announced the approval Friday, said the apple was given the green light because it didn’t pose a risk to other plants or agricultural products. The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring the apple is safe to eat, but its review is voluntary and its approval isn’t required for the company to move forward.
…
The FDA is still reviewing the apple, an agency spokeswoman said.
While genetically modified crops have been grown in the U.S. since the 1990s, the Arctic apple is one of only a few genetically modified foods that appeal directly to consumers. In November, the Agriculture Department approved a modified potato.
Currently, the most commonly modified crops, such as corn and soybeans, are modified for the benefit of farmers by withstanding herbicides and pesticides.
…
Apple farmers are worried, however, that the Arctic apple will scare off consumers who can’t distinguish between modified and conventionally grown varieties. Several of them urged the Agriculture Department to reject the petition for approval.
“I’m very disappointed in the USDA,” said Jim Baird, owner of a 250-acre apple farm in Washington state. “They’re approving this in light of such overwhelming concern and disapproval over [genetically modified] products.”
Consumer and environmental groups said the apple could present unknown risks to human health.
“There is no place in the U.S. or global market for genetically engineered apples,” said Lisa Archer, a director at the environmental group Friends of the Earth. “Farmers don’t want to grow it, food companies don’t want to sell it and consumers don’t want to eat it.”
In the time it will take for farmers to grow the Arctic apples, “consumers have time to get informed and decide whether they want to purchase them,” said Wendy Brannen, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Apple Association.
* * *
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 88% of scientists think genetically modified food is safe to eat. But only 37% of the general public believes GM food is safe. This giant disconnect is fueled by fear-provoking campaigns against GMO, regardless of whether the energeering benefits the public or not. (I'm not arguing that ALL genetic modifications should be unquestionly accepted as being in the public's best interests.)
A step towards forming an objective opinion about a genetic modification is to examine what the modification is and how it produces its effect. So, while looking for information on the enzyme that is deactivated in the GM Arctic apple, I found this description of how it works:
B.C. company’s apples don’t turn brown when cut or bruised
By Bruce DeMara
Neal Carter, president of Okanagan, said Arctic Apples are a product of “a very simple application of biotechnology.”
“There’s an apple enzyme called polyphenol oxidase. We’ve used a very precision approach to just turn that enzyme off. The DNA is present still but the protein is not produced. It’s still an apple, there’s no other changes,” Carter said.
“Biotechnology is just a breeding tool. There’s a lot of negative (comment) around the term and people get all worked up,” said Carter, referring to “Frankenfoods,” a term that has stigmatized genetically modified (GM) foods.
In fact, deactivating the enzyme improves the apple’s taste and smell, Carter said.
“The enzyme that we remove, what it’s doing is consuming the polyphenols, and they’re the flavour and the aroma. Basically the good stuff in the apple gets consumed by the browning reaction and leaves behind that brown pigment, which is actually not very good-tasting stuff,” he said.
“So there’s a reason people don’t like their apples going brown. It’s not that they don’t look good, they don’t taste as well.”
If an apple does go brown, it can also indicate a problem with bacteria or fungus “and shouldn’t be eaten,” Carter said.
“Now with an Arctic Apple, you know it’s not enzymatic browning, so if you’ve got an apple that’s looking ugly, there’s a reason for it and it’s probably best to put it in a composter,” he added.
Do you see any good reasons to conclude that inactiving polyphenol oxidase is a risky and harmful change to the apple?
