Fishy Apple

Natural Apples

Photo: Abhijit Tembhekar

If you love apples, you ought to be concerned about what biotech companies want to do to them. They are trying to develop traits that will make it possible for apples to not brown after they have been sliced or sat on the shelf for months. While currently there are no GMO apples in the supermarket as they are not approved for use, they could be coming soon if some companies get their way. Unlabeled GMO Apples could result in consumers not knowing if their apple was just sliced or sliced days or weeks earlier. Fast food companies want to sell sliced apples that are shrink-wrapped. The unintended consequences of changing the DNA to reduce browning could be allergies not previous known to humans. Don’t mess with our apples!

What Wikipedia says about Apples:
The Apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans.

The Apple tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists.

There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, fresh eating and cider production. Domestic apples are generally propagated by grafting, although wild apples grow readily from seed.

GMO Apples

The genetically modified (GM) “Arctic Apples” are varieties of apples that contain a nonbrowning trait developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. of Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. Gene silencing is used to turn down the expression of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which prevents the apples from browning over time. Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples were the first varieties chosen for this genetic modification but their cultivation has not been deregulated by the U.S. government and are currently unavailable for purchase. Non-browning apples allow apple sellers to keep the apples on the shelves longer but do not provide the consumer any added nutritional benefits.

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