The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to deregulate a genetically engineered apple represents an endorsement of its environmental credentials, according to an expert in biotechnology.
The so-called Arctic apple utilises a process called ribonucleic acid interference to improve its browning resistance when exposed to air. Its creator, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, has claimed that the innovation will extend the life of apples and reduce food waste. But USDA’s decision last week to approve the commercial cultivation of the fruit “reignites debate over the safety of modified foods,” The Wall Street Journal claimed.
Now, the biotechnology director of health advocacy group The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has welcomed the move.
Gregory A Jaffe said: “Few fruits have undergone more genetic selection, hybridisation, and other tinkering over the centuries than the apple. To create the new Arctic apple, scientists have tinkered a step further and spliced in some extra of the apple’s own genetic material, which causes it to turn brown less quickly when its interior is exposed to the air. USDA’s decision to deregulate the product means that the agency is convinced it presents no harm to the environment.
“Unlike most of the commercially approved genetically engineered crops, which provide benefits primarily to farmers, this product provides a modest benefit to consumers. It might make sense to use such a product for pre-sliced apple slices or in fruit salad or salad bars. The developer still will complete its safety review at the Food and Drug Administration – a voluntary process that should be mandatory. But there’s no indication that this new apple presents an environmental concern, and it might demonstrate to consumers how, in time, other new products could provide even more impressive benefits, including to improve health.”
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