Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Is this apple fresh or genetically modified?
A British Columbia biotech company, Okanagan Specialty Foods, boasts their ability to genetically modify an apple to not turn brown after it is sliced. The modification takes place by silencing the genes responsible for the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, which is responsible for the quick browning of sliced products. This process has been tested for five years and has succeeded in raising non-browning Galas, Fujis, Goldens and Grannys. Relevant to our current class discussion on the ethics of genetics, some organizations are concerned with the safety of genetically modified crops and current food regulations on the labeling of these products for consumer knowledge. Other concerns regard the deception of consumers, as products may appear fresh when in reality they have been modified to not decay. The company is still waiting for a permit to be able to market and distribute these apples in the U.S. And the political debate continues....
I feel that genetically engineering apples to not turn brown has its good and bad points. Aesthetically, the fruits will look nicer after they have been cut, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who will appreciate this. However, what effects does this have on the apple? Does the taste change? And will the apples decay naturally? That is, if an apple was sliced and left out for a period of time, would it eventually start to look rotten? I wouldn't want to open my fridge looking for a snack, find some apple slices, and then take a bite of old nasty rotten apples. If the fruit doesn't look bad, then people (like me) will eat it. If the flesh of the fruit will only stay white for a little while, then this may not be a bad modification. However, if the fruit will decay while staying white and looking fresh, then I feel like this could pose problems.
ReplyDeleteI don't think its a good idea to modify something because it'll look better when you could be risking other aspects of it. Does the genetically modified apple have the same nutritional value? What chemicals could be altering the apple and are they dangerous? Fruit is meant to decay when it goes bad, its the life cycle. Plus what effect is this going to have on the environment, if fruit doesn't decay, its it just going to sit around forever, looking fine but probably not being edible?
ReplyDelete