The Agriculture Department approved cultivation of two apple varieties that are genetically engineered to resist browning. Developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc., the apples will be marketed as Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden. The company “is also currently engaging in a voluntary food safety assessment consultation with the Food and Drug Administration” about the apples, said the USDA, which announced deregulation of the apples in a stakeholder announcement.
“It is reasonable to believe it (Okanagan) is several years away from making this product available in stores,” said the USDA, suggesting three to five years are needed for trees to reach maturity and produce the Arctic apples. The NPR blog The Salt capsulized reaction to the approval with its headline, “GMO apples get the nod but not much of a welcoming party.”
The approval comes three months after USDA approved commercial sales of the Innate potato developed by JR Simplot Co., genetically engineered to resist bruising and reduce the amount of acrylamide that is produced during frying.