Apples, Peaches, Pears & Cherries Will Be Unlabeled GMOs

Besides corn, canola, cottonseed and soy, which are the main GMO crops, other GMO crops such as sugarbeets, alfalfa, papaya and squash, have found their way into the American diet. Now, genetically modified apples have been approved by the USDA. “The USDA’s environmental review received 73,000 comments that overwhelmingly opposed the commercialization of Arctic Apples,” explains a press release from Food & Water Watch. They further explain:

“The USDA has neglected to look at the full range of risks from these apples. In its environmental assessment, the USDA glossed over the possibility of unintentional effects associated with the technology used to engineer these apples, potential economic impacts on the U.S. and international apple market, effects of potential contamination for non-GMO and organic apple growers and the impact of the non-browning gene silencing which also can weaken plant defenses and plant health.”

In addition to genetically modified apples, the Okanagan Specialty Fruits company also promises to roll out genetically modified peaches, cherries and pears.

Suppression of the PPO gene may lead to less nutritious fruits:
To achieve its GMO apples, the Okanagan fruit company has developed a way to reduce the natural browning of apples that takes place after they are sliced. This is accomplished by genetically suppressing the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene.

What’s wrong with playing around with the PPO gene? Suppressing this gene may have unintended consequences such as reducing the fruit’s nutritional polyphenols (natural medicinal compounds). Thus, this genetic alteration of the apple might strip from the apple many of its health-promoting qualities. Yes, the apple would still physically resemble a normal, natural apple, but it would be genetically lacking the very thing that has long contributed to the truism, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Since these GMO psuedofruits will not be labeled as such, the best way to make sure that you are avoiding them is to buy organic.

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