Here’s Why We Don’t Need Genetically Modified Fruit Like the GMO Non-Browning Apple
The FDA recently approved a non-browning, GMO apple. But the idea that consumers won’t touch an apple that has started to brown once it has been cut open is a ridiculous reason to justify the creation of GM Arctic Apples, given approval by the United States FDA without any concern for human health. Especially when non-GMO, non-browning apples already exist.
There are numerous apple varieties that are slower to brown. Another GMO-alternative that doesn’t put entire apple orchards at risk from cross pollination is called the Opal Apple, a Non-GMO Project verified apple.
Ralph Broetje grows this non-GM apple – well millions of them – on over 1000 acres. The apple is a variety grown in the Czech Republic. It is a cross between the Golden Delicious and the Topaz apple, and due to its low occurrence of an enzyme that causes apples to turn brown, it stays crispy, sweet and tangy without browning for longer.
The Opal apple is a great substitute for the GM Arctic apple, and Broetje Orchards packs a whopping 25,000 boxes a day in a 1.1 million square foot warehouse. They provide 8 million boxes of different types of apples to people around the world – the Opal apple, among them.
Related: 2 Surefire Ways to Know if You’re Buying the New GMO Apple
So – why did we need the Okanagan GM Arctic apple again? The company isn’t even required to label these apples as genetically modified, even though a new biotechnology which has not been field tested is being used to create them – gene silencing.
What could happen if you turn off certain genes with ‘gene silencing’?
According to GM Watch:
“. . . Yes. RNA manipulations may end up turning down, or off, genes other than those that were targeted.
. . . many genes contain similar, or even identical, stretches of DNA. A dsRNA targeted to one gene might turn off, or down, those other genes. Similar DNA stretches can be found in unrelated genes scattered around the genome or, as in the case of the Arctic apple, in a family of genes closely related to the target genes.
The PPO genes that cause browning in apples are part of a family of 10 or 11 closely related genes. Okanagan’s process is aimed at only four of the genes, but because the gene sequences are very similar it will probably have effects on all of them.
Why does that matter? PPO gene families perform multiple functions in plants. Little is known about the PPO gene family in apples, but in other plants, PPO genes are known to bolster pest and stress resistance. This raises the question of whether non-browning apple trees might be more vulnerable to disease and require more pesticides than conventional apples — and whether they might transfer those vulnerabilities to other apple trees.”
We already see the severe health affects gmos are already having on animals & humans alike.
What they aren’t realizing is that with all this gene manipulation & unknown mutations caused by the manipulation, is that they could actually end up creating something that eventually becomes poison.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!!!!!
What evidence have you seen to convince you GMOs are having “severe health effects” on animals and humans?
Another GMO-alternative that doesn’t put entire apple orchards at risk from cross pollination is called the Opal Apple
Why is cross-pollination a concern for a tree that is propagated primarily by grafting? Is the author really unaware of this fact or is she being intentionally deceptive?
So – why did we need the Okanagan GM Arctic apple again?
This is truly a stupid question. People innovate new products even when there may not be a need or demand that is apparent to everyone. Why do we need naturalsociety(dot)com? There are already dozens of other websites offering content very similar to this website, so by the authors own logic, this website is pointless.
What could happen if you turn off certain genes with ‘gene silencing’?
Gene silencing is based on sequence similarity. The similarity between the sequence of the silencing construct in the transgenic expression cassette (i.e. the DNA that is engineered into the plant) to that of the target gene. Off-target effects (when non-target genes become affected) are limited to genes with highly similar sequences. This is typically only occurs when the target gene is a member of a highly homologous gene family. As PPO is a member of a family, this is a theoretical possibility. But since we know this (as would the scientists developing Arctic Apples), changes in expression of the other family members can be examined. While I don’t know exactly what was done in developing Arctic Apples, such basic research steps are obvious to anyone familiar with gene silencing. I would be stunned if the scientists involved never examined the apples for off-target effects.
whether they might transfer those vulnerabilities to other apple trees
They won’t BECAUSE APPLES A PROPAGATED BY GRAFTING! Is it too much to as Christina Sarich to inform herself about the most basic fundamentals of the topics on which she is attempting to pontificate?
I would like to add that most of the sequence based off-target effects are evaluated in-silico before the construct is actually made. After the transformation is done and release candidates are identified, it would be typical to create RNAseq libraries to evaluate actual genome wide expression levels as compared to empty vector and wild type controls.
Exactly. People like Christina Sarich seem to think that scientists share their same level of ignorance and are just blindly fumbling around pretending they know what they’re talking about.
Numerous scientists are concerned that if we consume dsRNA in GMOs such as the apple and potato, they might inadvertently silence or alter our genes as well. Studies on bees,2 mice,3 and other species have verified this danger. According to a seminal 2013 paper published in Environment International,4 safety assessments must find out if the dsRNA produced in the genetically engineered food causes an effect on humans, preferably using human cell assays, animal tests and possibly “clinical trials on human volunteers.” Unfortunately, there is no indication that the dsRNA used in the apples and potatoes have gone through any of these tests.
We eat double stranded RNA all the time, in huge quantities, from all the plants that we eat. RNAi is sequence specific, and targeted to specific mRNAs in the plant. Is there any indication that there are off target effects from either of the lines that you mention?
So funny, if eating food messed with our genes I would be 99.9% pizza and beer by now.
Grow up, and learn something.
The real question is why are you here. Do you really think people here believe your holier than thou attitude. The readers her are asking- hmm what is his mission here. Why is he really here on his own accord. Wait … maybe he is worried about his job. Or maybe he is trying to get elected for office. Try and figure how many posts he has penned. Oh yeah he’s got to try and convince everyone that we are all a bunch of unintelligent misfits. What do you think readers? Is Skepty trying to preach to you about the evils of being honest, of trying to stand up for basic human rights, of trying to hold on to a healthy environment.
Wow what a great individual he is!. Or is he a miserable, deceitful troll.
One thing is foir sure the longer he posts here the more questionable his credibility becomes. If you fall for his deception the more Monsanto gains.
But the “Elite” do need GMO in order to reduce the population.
I thought it was the chemtrails?
It’s more than that, the use of vaccines and GMOs.
Isn’t everyone here amazed at how much time and effort the resident trolls spend here attacking Christina and others. What is their true agenda and how much does Monsanto actually pay these bashers? What are skepty and Bobo afraid of. Obviously this board has seriously concerned Monsanto who can hire this many trolls for this long a time.
I am more amazed that after time and time again showing you and the other anti-GMO folks that you are WRONG, you keep coming back…. Hmm it is like some one is paying you to be wrong, Whole Foods? Stoneybrook? who is your paymaster?
Why are you really here hypertroll?
Things aren’t bad enough that we have to eat 25 apples to get the nutritional value of one apple grown 100 years ago, now they want to play some more with our food. What good is a food if it fills us, but does not feed us? Brown, smrown, who cares?