USDA Asked To Approve GMO Apple That Won't Brown

news.yahoo.com...

A Canadian biotechnology company has asked the U.S. to approve a genetically modified apple that won't brown soon after its sliced, saying the improvement could boost sales of apples for snacks, salads and other uses.

First clue here is that it is devoloped by a biotechnology company. I like to hear the words 'orchard' and 'farmer' when it come to my fruit and veggies!

U.S. apple growers say it's too soon to know whether they'd be interested in the apple: They need to resolve questions about the apple's quality, the cost of planting and, most importantly, whether people would buy it.

"Scientists have been saying they're only turning one thing off, but that switch is connected to another switch and another switch," Kimbrell said. "You can't just do one thing to nature. It's nice to think so, but it just doesn't work that way."

That's what I'm thinking about, the chance that by consuming a product that is modified as a regular part of diet could turn into a genetic nightmare later for humans, and how can we know if they can or cannot without trying them out on humans?

Thoughts?

Awesome!
The perfect way to get people to buy rotten fruit without knowing it!

reply to post by space cadet


I agree that there's no way to know the possible effects on people. I used to have a bio tech guy as I neighbor. I'd love to get his opinion on GMO foods and any studies he may know of. I'll post back if I hear from him.

That's gross, no thanks.

I eat based on genetic structure, not physical appearance. That would be dumb.

Great! Just what we need, another man made abomination of nature! They really don't know what the end result and effects these GM crops and animals will have on people.

Then again they do know of the one effect that they really care about, making more money hand over fist at the sacrifice of people!

I really wish people would get off their butts and force some real change in our government!

I mean did you know that the government has told businesses that they are not allowed to mark whether a product contains GMO in it because they know that many people would not buy it!? So they are taking the option away from us so that giant megacorps can make a buck at the expense of our health.

To hell with them! I grow my own fruits and veggies from heirloom seeds that I can track their lineage back at least a hundred years. And for the stuff I can't or don't grow, I go to the farmers markets or the farms directly and talk to th people growing it. If they don't grow organically, I don't buy it!

I've also stopped drinking the poison water too!

Let me tell ya folks, even if you are space limited, there are many ways to grow your own foods. And, once you know what you are doing and are established, it isn't too hard. And it definately pays for itself in savings! We grow veggies, spices, and fruits. We have nut and fruit trees also, then we buy meat ffrom a farm an hour away in bulk and store it in the freezer. By buying bulk meat and growing much else, we save hundreds of dollars a month and eat way healthier! I even lost like 50 pounds!

I hope there are still some sane people within the USDA. There's absolutely no need for this. We've been eating apples the way they are for centuries, the browning helps us know if it's bad or not. Geeze, GMO needs to GO!

Pointless accomplishment. How about just eating an apple and shutting the hell up.
I hope the apple fights back and kicks someones ass.

reply to post by space cadet


Good find Space Cadet!
I hate hearing about another GM Franken-Food being developed, all genetic experiments should be outlawed. Or completely contained like the biosphere project, or under water or in outer space. Of course the ultimate use of these GM crops is to plant huge fields and orchards that are in direct contact with the environment. Once these man made horrors interact with the environment, there's no taking it back out. We will all pay dearly now and forever after a genetic disaster all because of corporate greed and the governments that do their every bidding. What short-sighted fools that play these games with Mother Nature, all for the love of money.

My bio-tech ex-neighbor got back to me. I pretty much quoted him verbatum except for his curse.
To be honest, I never thought of what he says about the potential of it getting transferred.

As far as eating it there is no problem.
The problem is in if any of the modified genes can get transferred in nature to an organism which
can use that gene in a negative way. That is really the big unknown. Bacteria are known to pass
genes to each other which is a big part of all the antibiotic resistance going on now.
Most of the modifications in plants are directed to allow the plant to adapt to poor growing conditions
(drought etc.) or add amino acids to their composition to make them more nutritious.
If these genes got into weeds (for example) you may get some super weed which takes over
and becomes difficult to eradicate. Eating it will have no impact on you. You'll just digest it
and $h!t it out as usual.

reply to post by Redwookieaz


You are sooo right, it is something that everyone should be able to do, not just a hobby. I love the idea of being able to walk out into my yard and pick foods fresh and free of poisins! As a general rule, we plant everything you might put into a pot of soup, lots of tomatoes and green beans, peppers, corn, and potatoes. Saving your seed for the next year is a good idea too, we have found our tomatoes are just getting better and better every year!

Grow something, even if you start with a single plant, grow something you really eat, and you will be proud of your accomplishment when you harvest it, maybe it will inspire you to grow more.

When watching a show, I don't remember the name of it, but it was about these natives who came to America to find 'Joe Navy' and give him a message, anyway the natives were watching a lady open cans of yams and corn and to each other the natives were discussing that the 'lady doesn't know those foods are dead'. It struck me what they meant, if you cannot grow more food from it, it is dead. Once it is canned, or proccessed, it is dead.

They are now petitioning the BC government to allow them in BC Canada, too

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Feedback to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

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