{"id":7406,"date":"2015-02-19T17:54:23","date_gmt":"2015-02-19T23:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=7406"},"modified":"2015-02-20T14:52:05","modified_gmt":"2015-02-20T20:52:05","slug":"how-about-them-apples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/how-about-them-apples\/","title":{"rendered":"How about them Apples?"},"content":{"rendered":"

New genetically modified apples don’t brown when bruised<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

By Shanley Chien<\/p>\n

It may take a few years for bins of Arctic apples to show up in grocery stores.<\/p>\n

But the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two types of these genetically modified apples that don\u2019t turn brown when sliced. The flesh of the fruit stays a glowing white.<\/p>\n

Canada-based Okanagan Specialty Foods specializes in agriculture biotechnology and created the genetically engineered Arctic Granny Smith and Arctic Golden apples.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll we\u2019ve done is reduce the expression of a single enzyme; there are no novel proteins in Arctic fruit and their nutrition and composition is equivalent to their conventional counterparts,\u201d said Okanagan Specialty Fruit\u2019s chief executive officer Neal Carter in a prepared statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Top row: Non-genetically modified apples. Bottom row: Genetically modified Arctic apples. (Photo courtesy of Okanagan Specialty Fruits)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Genetically modified foods often introduce new genes added into the organic structure. Instead, the scientists behind the Arctic apples used the technique of gene silencing to \u201cturn off\u201d the gene that controls the browning enzyme. Browning occurs when oxygen is introduced to cells and the enzyme, called polyphenol oxidase (PPO), quickly oxidizes apple tissues, turning them from their natural colorless state to the brown color we often see.<\/p>\n