USDA approves genetically engineered apple; Food & Water Watch raises issues
February 17, 2015 |10:47 AM
The Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service late last week deregulated apples that are genetically engineered to resist browning.
APHIS said it had no choice but to deregulate the genetically engineered apples because it found no plant pest risk, but Food & Water Watch questioned whether the apples are safe.
USDA approved an application from Okanagan Specialty Fruits.
Under APHIS’ regulations, pursuant to the Plant Protection Act (PPA), APHIS is “specifically required to evaluate if the apple varieties are a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants or plant products,” APHIS said in a statement.
“The act defines a plant pest as organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or insects, that can cause harm to agricultural crops or other plants or plant products. If APHIS finds through its rigorous scientific review that a new GE plant is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk, then under the law and its regulations, it is required to deregulate the GE plant,” APHIS added.
The U.S. Apple Association said in a carefully modulated release that "there are no GMO apples in the marketplace now, nor will there be in the upcoming 2015 apple harvest season.
"USDA declared in its review that Arctic apples are just like any other apple except for their non-browning trait," USApple said. "Arctic apples offer the same nutrition benefits as non-GMO apples. Browning is a natural process that happens when an apple is exposed to oxygen. Arctic apples do not include genes from other species, but use apple-to-apple biotechnology to silence or 'turn off' the gene in apples that cause browning.
"To continue discovering new and valuable benefits from apples, USApple supports advancements from technology, including genetics and genomics research. Benefits can include attributes such as quality, varieties, new aromatic flavor profiles, improved pest resistance, and enhanced nutrition," USApple said.
"USApple supports consumer choice in apples and apple products," the statement continued. "Consumers will be able to decide whether to try the new, 'non-browning' apples, and, ultimately, the marketplace will determine whether there is a demand for them.
“Because it will be several years before Arctic apples become available, consumers will have time to decide whether they want to purchase them,” USApple added.
Food & Water Watch said in a news release, “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.
“This apple was produced using a relatively new method of genetic engineering, known as RNA interference. This technology uses RNA to silence a target gene, but mounting evidence has shown that meddling with the genes could have unintended effects within the plant and also on organisms that eat the plant."
“The particular gene targeted by this technology allows the apples to be sliced without turning brown, which could mislead consumers into thinking they are eating fresh apples when they might be eating apples on the verge of rotting. Browning is an important indicator to consumers in determining the freshness of an apple or apple slice,” Food & Water Watch added.
“The silenced gene is also heavily involved in a plant’s natural defense against pests and pathogens, which could lead to trees that are less healthy than non-GMO apples and rely on more chemical treatments to ward off pests and disease,” the release stated.
Food & Water Watch also noted, “The domestic apple industry is opposed to the commercialization of GMO apples, and some food companies have already said they would not sell Arctic apples. The U.S. Apple Association, Washington Apple Commission and other grower groups have voiced their disapproval due to the negative impact GMO apples could have on the apple industry, and in 2013, Gerber and McDonald’s announced that they would not use GMO apples in their products.
“This GMO apple is simply unnecessary. Apple browning is a small cosmetic issue that consumers and the industry have dealt with successfully for generations. The USDA has let down U.S. apple growers and the public by wasting resources on this useless and risky food,” Food & Water Watch stated.
“To make matters worse, these apples will not be required to be labeled, and consumers will not know that the sliced apples they pack in their children’s lunches were made through genetic engineering.”
▪ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service — USDA Announces Deregulation of Non-Browning Apples
— Questions and Answers: Arctic Apple Deregulation
▪ U.S. Apple Association — Apples and Biotechnology
▪ The New York Times— Gene-Altered Apples Get U.S. Approval
APHIS said it had no choice but to deregulate the genetically engineered apples because it found no plant pest risk, but Food & Water Watch questioned whether the apples are safe.
USDA approved an application from Okanagan Specialty Fruits.
Under APHIS’ regulations, pursuant to the Plant Protection Act (PPA), APHIS is “specifically required to evaluate if the apple varieties are a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants or plant products,” APHIS said in a statement.
“The act defines a plant pest as organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or insects, that can cause harm to agricultural crops or other plants or plant products. If APHIS finds through its rigorous scientific review that a new GE plant is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk, then under the law and its regulations, it is required to deregulate the GE plant,” APHIS added.
The U.S. Apple Association said in a carefully modulated release that "there are no GMO apples in the marketplace now, nor will there be in the upcoming 2015 apple harvest season.
"USDA declared in its review that Arctic apples are just like any other apple except for their non-browning trait," USApple said. "Arctic apples offer the same nutrition benefits as non-GMO apples. Browning is a natural process that happens when an apple is exposed to oxygen. Arctic apples do not include genes from other species, but use apple-to-apple biotechnology to silence or 'turn off' the gene in apples that cause browning.
"To continue discovering new and valuable benefits from apples, USApple supports advancements from technology, including genetics and genomics research. Benefits can include attributes such as quality, varieties, new aromatic flavor profiles, improved pest resistance, and enhanced nutrition," USApple said.
"USApple supports consumer choice in apples and apple products," the statement continued. "Consumers will be able to decide whether to try the new, 'non-browning' apples, and, ultimately, the marketplace will determine whether there is a demand for them.
“Because it will be several years before Arctic apples become available, consumers will have time to decide whether they want to purchase them,” USApple added.
Food & Water Watch said in a news release, “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.
“This apple was produced using a relatively new method of genetic engineering, known as RNA interference. This technology uses RNA to silence a target gene, but mounting evidence has shown that meddling with the genes could have unintended effects within the plant and also on organisms that eat the plant."
“The particular gene targeted by this technology allows the apples to be sliced without turning brown, which could mislead consumers into thinking they are eating fresh apples when they might be eating apples on the verge of rotting. Browning is an important indicator to consumers in determining the freshness of an apple or apple slice,” Food & Water Watch added.
“The silenced gene is also heavily involved in a plant’s natural defense against pests and pathogens, which could lead to trees that are less healthy than non-GMO apples and rely on more chemical treatments to ward off pests and disease,” the release stated.
Food & Water Watch also noted, “The domestic apple industry is opposed to the commercialization of GMO apples, and some food companies have already said they would not sell Arctic apples. The U.S. Apple Association, Washington Apple Commission and other grower groups have voiced their disapproval due to the negative impact GMO apples could have on the apple industry, and in 2013, Gerber and McDonald’s announced that they would not use GMO apples in their products.
“This GMO apple is simply unnecessary. Apple browning is a small cosmetic issue that consumers and the industry have dealt with successfully for generations. The USDA has let down U.S. apple growers and the public by wasting resources on this useless and risky food,” Food & Water Watch stated.
“To make matters worse, these apples will not be required to be labeled, and consumers will not know that the sliced apples they pack in their children’s lunches were made through genetic engineering.”
▪ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service — USDA Announces Deregulation of Non-Browning Apples
— Questions and Answers: Arctic Apple Deregulation
▪ U.S. Apple Association — Apples and Biotechnology
▪ The New York Times— Gene-Altered Apples Get U.S. Approval
