Frankenfood
by Catherine Haug, Nov 22, 2017 (Image, right, from OCA and used with permission)
HEADS-UP! I wrote about the pending introduction of the GMO Arctic Apple last year, and now it is in about 400 grocery stores in the Midwest, and will soon spread through the country. This apple is genetically engineered to resist browning when cut/sliced. Initially, this Arctic Apple will be sold cut – in 10-oz bags, but in the future could be sold whole. They will not be labeled as “GMO;” instead, you will need to use a cell phone to read the QR code.
This new variety, developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, are engineered to suppress the production of the enzyme polyphony oxides (PPO), that causes the browning of the apple’s flesh when exposed to air.
While the assumption is that a browned apple is a bad apple, that assumption is not true.