Neal Carter, “the world’s most infamous apple farmer,” tells BuzzFeed that his genetically engineered Arctic apple is a response to Americans’ demand for convenience in food and will reduce food waste. The apple flesh resists browning and bruising when it is sliced. “An apple’s not convenient enough,” Carter tells Stephanie Lee. “That’s the truth. The whole apple is too much of a commitment in today’s world.”
“If consumers do embrace Carter’s invention, it’ll be an indication that they may also be ready for other kinds of GM foods in the works, like heart-healthy purple tomatoes and cancer-fighting pink pineapples. If they don’t, it’ll be 19 years of work and millions of dollars down the drain for a product that consumers are afraid to buy,” says BuzzFeed.
At the site The Conversation, Michigan State U professor Paul Thompson takes a look at “a myth that circulates on both sides of the Atlantic: Americans accepted genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their food supply without question, while the more precautionary Europeans rejected them … Why have EU and US consumers and policymakers taken such different routes? A look at the recent history of GMOs helps explain why.”