New ‘Frankenfruit’ gets a USDA stamp of approval

There’s good news and there’s bad news on the “Frankenfood” front.

First, the bad news.

It seems that apples are the latest crop to be approved by the USDA for transformation into a GMO.

The apples in question, developed by a small Canadian grower, are genetically modified to contain less of a chemical that causes them to turn brown when sliced.

Apparently, the kind of apples found in the Garden of Eden just don’t measure up anymore.

At least, these alien “Arctic apples,” as they’re called, haven’t been created to be “Roundup Ready,” as other bioengineered crops are. But they are a reminder of why we need to have such products clearly labeled, so we can decide whether or not we care to eat them.

And that’s where the “good news” comes in.

That’s the introduction of a new bill in Congress to require the labeling of GMO food throughout the country. It’s called the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act.

And it comes at an especially critical time. Because there’s another bill — H.R. 4432 — known as the “DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know) Act,” that may soon be considered by Congress. And it threatens the right of individual states to pass their GMO labeling laws, like the one now due to take effect in Vermont and another being considered in Rhode Island.

That bill would also continue to allow these “Frankenfoods” to be labeled as “natural” — which they definitely are not.

So if genetically-altered apples don’t appeal to you — and you don’t care much for products containing mutant soy, corn, canola or beet sugar, either — it’s time to contact your congressional delegation.

And tell them you want them to support the bill that lets you know exactly what it is you’re eating.

Not the one that admits it keeps you in the dark.

Source:

“Gene-altered apples get U.S. approval” Andrew Pollack, February 13, 2015, The New York Times, nytimes.com