FDA says genetically modified apples, potatoes are safe to eat

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration gave the OK to six new types of genetically altered potatoes and two new varieties of genetically engineered apples, saying all are "as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts."

Using the trade name Arctic Apples, the Canadian company Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. will likely soon introduce a Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apple to the U.S. market that does not turn brown after being sliced or bruised, the Los Angeles Times reports. The J.R. Simplot Co. of Idaho is expected to sell new varieties of Ranger Russet, Russet Burbank, and Atlantic potatoes under the trade name Innate, and all have been engineered to not bruise easily and to produce less acrylamide, a suspected carcinogen, when fried.

Food scientists say that by making these changes, produce will be able to ship easier and without spoiling, while critics say there's no way to know yet what dangers may be lurking under the modified skin of this genetically engineered food. The FDA does not require that GMOs get approval, but the agency does encourage companies to take part in a voluntary consultation process before their products hit the supermarket.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up