Canadian grower Okanagan Specialty Fruit is seeking USDA approval for a third non-browning apple, which it calls the Arctic Fuji. This would follow earlier federal approval for the company’s genetically-modified Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny apples, which were approved for commercial sale in February 2015.

Okanagan Specialty Fruit is based in Summerland, British Columbia.

The apples are controversial, including opposition from Canada’s own British Columbia Fruit Growers’ Association.

Read earlier coverage by Good Fruit Grower. 

From the company press release:

Arctic® Fuji is poised to follow in the footsteps of OSF’s first distinctly nonbrowning apple varieties, Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny, which were approved for commercial sale in February 2015. On December 31st, OSF formally submitted a petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting the deregulation of the next nonbrowning variety – Arctic® Fuji.

Arctic Fuji

Arctic Fuji apple (Photo credit: Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc.)

Developed using the same innovative techniques as other Arctic® apple varieties, Arctic® Fuji apples have been grown and tested in field trial orchards for over a decade. The petition being reviewed by the USDA contains substantial data collected over many years that demonstrates the safety and healthfulness of Arctic® Fujis, and we are extremely confident that they will be granted approval in a timely manner.

Considering regulatory agencies are now familiar with the science behind our Arctic® apple varieties (namely, our method of silencing polyphenol oxidase, the enzyme that initiates browning), we anticipate that the review of Arctic® Fuji will progress more quickly than for Arctic® Golden and Arctic® Granny varieties. After all, Arctic® apples have no meaningful differences from their conventional counterparts, besides their nonbrowning trait that gives them the Arctic Advantage™ of course!

This advantage is especially beneficial in our Arctic® Fujis, as Fujis are notorious for being among the fastest browning apple varieties. Soon, consumers will be able to enjoy their crisp, sweet flavor profile without the variety’s biggest drawback!

Plus, Arctic® Fujis are the perfect complement to the unique strengths of Arctic® Goldens and Arctic® Grannies, and all three are among the top 5 produced apples in the U.S.!

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as Arctic® Fuji progresses through the rigorous regulatory processes in the U.S. In the meantime, check out posts we wrote when we applied for approval of the first two Arctic® apple varieties describing the U.S. regulatory process.