An Apple A Day...

Last week I happened to catch a story on the news about a company in British Columbia that is genetically modifying apples and hoping to market them in the United States. The newly designed “Arctic Apple” is unique in that it doesn’t turn brown when you cut it. Researchers have figured out a way to “turn off” the gene that produces the enzyme that turns the apple slices brown when cut. Having successfully created Arctic Golden Delicious and Arctic Granny Smith, they are now turning their efforts to Galas and Fujis.

This bothered me on so many different levels; I don’t quite know where to begin. First and foremost is the idea that this was something that someone considered news, to the point where it was given airtime on the 11 o’clock broadcast. When stories like this crop up, my husband invariably rolls his eyes and mutters, “Slow news night.” Granted, it’s a break from the usual murder, monstrosity and mayhem that most news programs serve up with glee, but the Arctic Apple story seemed a waste of thirty seconds. Witty anchor banter would have been as informative.

My next thought was this: Scientists are experimenting with fruit genes in order to make the fruit more cosmetically appealing. Did someone suddenly cure cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s without my knowledge? Millions die each year from these and other terminal illnesses. Wouldn’t it be better for the scientific community to conquer human ailments first, and then move on to fruit? Without scientific intervention, the apple just turns brown. The human dies.

My seventh grader’s robotics team just presented a research project as part of this year’s First Lego League tournament. The team focused their efforts on finding a way to treat and possibly cure Cystic Fibrosis. These kids really did their homework, diligently researching online, Skype-ing with an expert in the field, and brainstorming unique methods of eradicating the disease. The kids were even won FLL’s award for Excellence in Research. If twelve-year olds are trying to look for a cure, shouldn’t the scientific community be fully focused on humans as well? (In an ironic twist, next year’s FLL challenge is called Food Factor).

Now, I could understand if the Arctic Apples were somehow altered to provide additional nutritional benefit, boosting the amount of vitamins and minerals received from these foods, enhancing the body and lengthening the life span. But Arctic Apples were developed for purely cosmetic reasons. Our society worships at the altar of perfection, as evidenced by the movie stars, sports figures and supermodels we idolize. Arctic Apples send the message that even our fruit has to be perfect, or suffer the consequences. Picture the scene in lunchrooms across the country: “Ewww, did you see Lisa’s apple? It’s so brown and yucky. Here, sit with me and have some slices of my perfectly white, genetically modified apple.”

I’m sure that once apples have been conquered, scientists will next turn their attention to bananas, pears and oranges. Given the choice, I could live with brown apples and bruised pears if it meant losing less friends and family to serious diseases. So Mr. Wizard, when you’re done perfecting every item in the fruit bowl, could you perhaps focus your efforts on Alzheimer’s and cancer?

How do you like them apples?