Apples, Apples, Everywhere!

It may not be apple season, but my attention has been drawn to some seriously scary apples lately. First, there's the genetically-modified Arctic Apple. Written about in the NY Times last year here, supposedly, this apple doesn't turn brown. Yes, you read that correctly. You can slice it, arrange it on your hors d'oeuvres plate and it will stay as pristine as when you first put knife to peel.

The NY Times article explains that Arctic Apples, "contain a synthetic gene that sharply reduces production of polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme responsible for the browning." The already-bagged apple slices you may have seen use vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and lack of oxygen to prevent browning. At home, you could just toss apple slices with a small amount of lemon juice. I guess no one will make a profit from that though...

The second type of scary apple I've come across recently is Crazy Apples flavored apples. These are real apples that come in flavors like bubble gum, pomegranate grape and tropical blast. While I have not actually sampled one myself, the flavor is supposed to be on the inside. The company's website insists that Crazy Apples contain no added sugars, preservatives, artificial flavors (er, bubble gum, really?), are not genetically modified and that their apples have not been pierced or punctured...but of course they cannot disclose their procedure for flavoring the apples.

I don't know about you, but I think apples are already sweet, delicious and come in a variety of flavors - no tampering needed.