Arctic Apples: A "genetically modified" apple a day keeps the doctor away

That's not how the saying goes but we may soon be changing our tune. Apples have already been given a bad rap due to the waxes and pesticides used in the growing process but now a new discovery rears its ugly head in the form of genetically modified Arctic apples. Arctic Apples are a specialty brand of apples that contain a new trait spearheaded by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF), a company founded by Neal Carter in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. The company uses "genetic engineering and special breeding" techniques to acheive the non-browning capability in the apples. Specifically, gene silencing is used to reduce levels of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) which allows the apple's flesh to retain its original color even when subjected to bruising or slicing.

In February 2015, Arctic apples were approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), becoming the first genetically modified apple approved for sale in the United States. On March 20, 2015 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada completed their assessment and approved the growing of Arctic apples in Canada. In a letter to OSF, the CFIA concluded that Arctic apples "are as safe and nutritious as traditional apple varieties."

Also on March 20, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed its evaluation for two varieties of apples genetically engineered by Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc and they too concluded that the apples were "not materially different in safety, nutrition, composition, or other relevant characteristics from food and feed from apples currently on the market...".

PROS

• Many persons bypass bruised apples at the grocery store so the belief is that this feature will reduce the amount of apples discarded and save grocery stores thousands of dollars yearly.
• Arctic apples will also be cosmetically appealing to consumers because they won't turn brown when sliced. (A sliced Arctic apple can be refrigerated in a zip-lock bag for several days without any noticeable browning).
• Frozen fruits and vegetable are a huge market and Arctic apples will allow apples to be frozen, bagged and added to the Frozen food aisle as a quick and easy way to add our favourite fruit to meals.

CONS	On site bee hive for apple tree pollination
How safe are these biotech apples? The USDA and FDA have approved these apples as fit for consumption but in what quantities? What about cross-pollination of these crops with conventional or organic crops?
Uneven playing field. Countries not supporting genetically modified foods will have a tough time competing on the international market if the demand for non-browning apples reaches the expected levels.

Arctic trees can now be purchased and grown just like any other apple trees. The next step for Okanagan Specialty Fruits is to have as many Arctic apple trees planted as possible but it will likely be 2016 before any Arctic Granny or Arctic Golden apples are available for sale in our markets. Following that, the plan is for Arctic Gala and Arctic Fuji to come on board.

We're in no hurry to have these Arctic apples hit the shelves as we are not completely clear what the Food Health & Safety groups consider to be "fit for consumption". Does it mean that one apple does not cause harm when consumed? What about a couple of apples? Did they consider the long term effects of consuming fruit that has been genetically altered?

It's all about increasing sales and reducing waste...a noble venture but are consumers ready for this level of intrusion into our food? That being said, we can throw caution to the wind and rest easy now that our fruit salads will be a bit prettier!