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The Okanagan produced non-browning Arctic Apple has been approved for commercial sale in Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Heath Canada announced the decision on Friday following reviews of the apple. Created by Summerland’s Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the Canadian decision comes on the heels of deregulation in the United States on February 13th, 2015.
Photo Credit: Arctic Apple
According to Health Canada, in order to determine whether the apple could be sold in Canada as food, the scientists at Health Canada conducted a scientific assessment that ensured the apple is safe for consumption, still has all its nutritional value and therefore does not differ from other apples available on the market.
Two varieties of Arctic apple were approved for growth and sale in Canada, the Arctic Golden Delicious and the Arctic Granny Smith.
“The science behind the Arctic apple is quite simple,” said Health Canada in a release. “A gene was introduced into the Arctic apple that results in a reduction in the levels of enzymes that make apples turn brown when sliced. In every other way, the Arctic apple tree and its fruit are identical to any other apple.”
Photo Credit: Arctic Apple
Following the government’s assessment, they have concluded that the changes made to the apple did not pose a greater risk to human health than the apples currently available on the Canadian market. These conclusions mark the culmination of over three years of review since Okanagan Specialty Fruits, a small, grower-led company that developed Arctic apples, first initiated the government deregulation process with the Canadian regulators.
The Arctic apples do not brown when bitten, sliced or bruised which the company says can help reduce food waste. The company says that the first apples will be sold in small, test markets in late 2016 with increasing amounts of fruit available each successive year.
This is the first GMO apple to ever be approved in Canada and the United States.
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