The first genetically modified apples have been approved for sale in the United States by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reigniting debate regarding the safety of modified foods and whether such products should carry mandatory labels.
The new GMO apples approved by the federal government are made by Canadian biotech company Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc., which has created two varieties of genetically engineered apples resistant to browning.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Shannon Van Hoesen published a release which quoted the EWG’s senior policy analyst, Ellen Kustin, as having said that the new apples are “some of the first GMO whole foods to reach the U.S. market” and it’s not even more important “to have a clear labeling requirement” to ensure access to the information Americans “crave and deserve to know.”
The non-browning, Arctic apples are some of the first GMO whole foods to reach the U.S. market (…) As we see this GMO fruit hit the stands, it only becomes more important to have a clear labeling requirement to ensure that American consumers have the information they crave and deserve to know. (…) With even more toxic compounds, like 2,4-D and dicamba, being approved for use on GMO crops, and now the green light for the Artic® apple, it’s time for Congress to give consumers the power to make informed decisions about the food they are buying
The release stated that polling had indicated that over 90 percent of American consumers want to know more about the food they’re consuming and are in favor of GMO labeling, which the release notes is a right retained by citizens in 64 countries around the world.
Okanagan’s co-founder Neal Carter indicated that the company’s Arctic apple resists browning when cut open or sliced, a trait which makes it particularly useful to restaurants, airlines, grocery stores and other companies that offer pre-sliced fruit. He was quoted by the WSJ as having said that “getting the consumer to buy in to the product and the technology” is the priority.
The company’s two recently USDA approved fruits, the Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden, are genetically engineered versions of the Granny Smith and Golden Delicious.
The U.S. Agricultural Department announced its approval on Friday as it said that it was given the green light because it didn’t pose a risk to other plants or agricultural products.
While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring the company’s product is safe to eat, its review is voluntary and its approval unnecessary for the company to move forward.
In other GMO news here on Immortal News, GMO mosquitoes might be used in the Florida Keys to combat mosquitoes carrying the dengue and chikungunya diseases if the FDA approves the experiment.
What are your thoughts on genetically modified food like Okanagan’s new GMO apples?
