Last year we told you about a genetically altered apple, developed by a Canadian company, was pending approval with the FDA.  The “Arctic Apple” was approved last week.  The “Arctic Granny” (Granny Smith), and “Arctic Golden” (Golden Delicious), have been bred with an extra gene that shuts down the oxidation process.

The Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. that developed the GMO apple claims that their apples are “unlikely to pose a plant pest risk” or have “a significant impact on human environment”.

Not sure how the  honeybees will react to these altered apples. Genetically altering nature has had a very bad effect on the bee population.   There are other legitimate concerns by opponents that the honeybees who have been eating the GM apples will also contaminate organic orchards.

Many foods now contain GM ingredients such as soy, wheat and corn.  The Arctic apple will be one of the first plants directly marketed to consumers.  Last year a GM potato was approved, but not even big companies like Frito-Lays and McDonald’s will use them.

More and more people are waking up to the dangerous practices our food industry engages in.  We can only hope that wide-spread awareness of genetically altered plants will prevent people from buying Arctic apples and subsequent GM “foods” that are released.

Organic Food Demand is Exploding

Long gone are the days when just the “weird” little health food stores carried organic food.  Over 20,000 stores in the US now carry organic food choices.  In 2012 organic food sales totaled 28.4 million. According to Nutrition Business Journal, organic food sales are expected to reach 35 billion dollars in 2015.  That is a pretty impressive statistic.

For those of us who have been aware of the corruption in the food chain for a long time, this is very good news for us, and very bad news for Monsanto. That is one company I will not mourn when they go bankrupt.

To your Health!

Peter Gillham