New gene modified apples will not turn brown

Apples from a Canadian company will not brown when they are bruised or cut into pieces, because it is off to an enzyme. Canadians expect significant market opportunities for healthy and quick snacks will also use the technique on pears and cherries.

By Mette Jensen Buck, Monday 07th February 2011 pm. 11:48

Canadian company has developed apples not turn brown, though they have been cut into wedges. Achieving it is really very simple. They have 'just' off the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene in apple. This gene controls namely enzymes fenolaser behind the browning of the apple when it comes in contact with oxygen.

Is the gene turned off, is the enzymatic process of browning apples, not when it is knocked or cut into pieces. They have turned off this gene in apple varieties Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji.

It is the Canadian company Okanagan Specialty Fruit Company, which develops new frugttræsvarianter behind these new apple varieties, which they call Arctic Apples. The company is operated and primarily owned by frugttræsdyrkere in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley.

Paves the way for quick apple snack
Until now grown apples only on test fields, but the company in May last year sought to have to grow two varieties of apples that do not turn brown. The approval process is expected to take two years, so they hope that the apples can be grown freely in the U.S. and Canada in 2013-14.

The company hopes to have 4,000 hectares planted with apple trees in the world for the first 10 years, for there is great interest in the apples among growers, sellers, processors and retailers.

"Apple consumption has been declining for some time, so growers are being squeezed, and the only way to make profit is to grow something new, unique and different. Arctic Apples offering it. Moreover, the opportunity to put apples into new markets within the food service and healthy convenience foods, "says Neal Carter of the Okanagan Specialty Fruit Company to ing.dk and comes with some examples:

"The apples can be made into fritters freshly elected without the need for antioxidants, which makes this product more competitive and makes you get rid of unwanted chemicals. The apples can also be dehydrated into slices or cubes for breakfast cereal or made into both pies without having metabisulphites, so you do not have chemicals and additives. "

Most tested apples in the world
Neal Carter denies that there are health or environmental risks of these genetically modified apples.

"These apples will probably be the most tested apples in the world. We have lots of 3 party laboratory data confirms that there is no health or environmental risk associated with these apples, "he tells ing.dk and explains:

"Everything we do is to turn off an apple enzyme using apple-DNA. This means that there are no foreign proteins expressed in apple. The apple looks, tastes, smells and all the other properties associated with apples. "

In addition to resend closure preserves apples appetizing color, preserving the taste better, too, and there are even health benefits of apples.

"In fact leads to inhibition of PPO to preserve the substrate, which means they have higher levels - 80 to 200 percent. higher - of vitamin C and polyphenols, which are behind the taste, aroma and antioxidants in apples. "

He points out that the brown is also a rich substrate for fungal growth, and they have shown that PPO-inhibited apples not turn brown, get less fungal activity.

The company is also working to transfer technology to pears and cherries.

Just like when we get suntanned
The brown coloring happens when the fruit cell fluid and phenols in these coming into contact with atmospheric oxygen. This formed the brown dye melanin using enzymes fenolaser.

Melanin is also the dye, which is formed in the skin by sunlight, and it is believed that, like the skin is a reaction that occurs as a form of protection