Arctic Wheat? More Non-Browning Crops!
Those quick to criticize genetic engineering in food were not pleased with the Simplot non-browning potato or the non-browning Arctic Apple. In these cases the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is disabled using a genetic engineering approach. Without this enzyme, plant materials do not turn off colors upon exposure to air, keeping postharvest quality high. Everyone from Michael Hansen to Dr. Oz went on the warpath, generating fear and doubt about the safety of the apple upon its release. Criticisms abounded on the web , claiming that the new products were dangerous, that PPO was important, and that nobody knows what is going to happen if we eat non-browning produce. Those of us that think about food and crop biology on a daily basis know of examples where defects in PPO have been of interest for a long time. One great example is the golden raisin. No PPO activity, and plant breeders and consumers celebrated new little dried weird fruits that were clear and golden rather than d