“A new breed of apple that took two decades to develop and allegedly lasts for up to a year in the fridge goes on sale in the US on Sunday.

The apple - Cosmic Crisp - is a cross-breed of the Honeycrisp and Enterprise and was first cultivated by Washington State University in 1997.

The launch of the "firm, crisp, and juicy apple" cost $10m (£7.9m).

Farmers in the state of Washington are exclusively allowed to grow the fruit for the next decade.

"It's an ultra-crisp apple, it's relatively firm, it has a good balance of sweet and tart and it's very juicy," said Kate Evans, who co-led the apple's breeding programme at Washington State University.

She said the flesh is slow to brown and the fruit "maintains excellent eating quality in refrigerated storage - easily for 10 to 12 months"…”

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50619281

Oh, noes: GMO!

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Oh, noes: GMO!

Except it's not a GMO, rather a cross cultivar.
Read the original post: "The apple - Cosmic Crisp - is a cross-breed of the Honeycrisp and Enterprise and was first cultivated by Washington State University in 1997."

Arkansas Black stores for a long time. I had them in the garage last up to March. And the past mailman loves them.

Depends on how it tastes? Storage is secondary.

Look at Honey Crisp which is now going for under a dollar at some places.

Crimson Crisp is not GMO. The two approved varieties of GMO apples in the US are the Arctic Granny and the Arctic Golden. They have been engineered to resist browning by lowering the amount of an enzyme known as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and approved as safe for human consumption by the USDA. The company that produces them also has an Arctic Fuji (not yet approved) and is working on an Arctic Gala.

From the Cosmic Crisp site: “Classically bred by Washington State University researchers, Cosmic Crisp® brand apples are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp.”

The genetics of the source apples were modified to create this new variety: Modified genetics = GMO.

Genetically modified organisms have been around since human beings have been here to modify genetics by various means, including crossbreeding.
Yes, I do know that that’s not how people are using the term “GMO” now, but that’s what they are.

I'd rather see them try to bring back some of the lost heirlooms that used to be available. We've gone from thousands of local variations to a handful of "commercially viable" ones, very few of which have any character other than they store and ship well.

I'd be thrilled with ripe fruit. But unless you grow your own, you'll probably never get that again.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
From the Cosmic Crisp site: “Classically bred by Washington State University researchers, Cosmic Crisp® brand apples are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp.”

The genetics of the source apples were modified to create this new variety: Modified genetics = GMO.

Genetically modified organisms have been around since human beings have been here to modify genetics by various means, including crossbreeding.
Yes, I do know that that’s not how people are using the term “GMO” now, but that’s what they are.

GMO means that recombinant/gene editing technology was used and cross-breeding is entirely different. If your definition of GMO held sway, everything would be GMO - including you. Trying to win an argument using definitions only you come up with is a poor strategy.

quote:

Originally posted by Dakor:
EVERYTHING would be GMO

Touched a nerve, did I?

It wasn’t a definition I came up with, as anyone who follows the subject should be aware of. Many others who aren’t afraid of frankenfoods pointed it out long before I noted their argument: we have been modifying organisms’ genetics for a long time, although people’s not so much—at least not deliberately.

But I agree that when enough people agree on a definition, that’s what it becomes. Sort of like how my ARs are “assault rifles” and “weapons of war” or a sound suppressor is a “firearm.”

One of the most important attributes of a good apple for me is crispness. I love a sweet tart apple like honeycrisp or jazz but absolutely HATE a mushy apple no matter how good it tastes. Nothing worse than biting into a bag of apple flavored sand. If these really stay crisp for a long time I’ll be stoked.

I'm a bit confused. Are consumers really motivated by a years shelf life for their apples at a cost of almost 10 times as much as regular stuff? I'm asking as a consumer myself who buys apples primarily based on their taste. Something that lasts a year in storage is of little interest to me given the cost premium.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I'm a bit confused. Are consumers really motivated by a years shelf life for their apples at a cost of almost 10 times as much as regular stuff? I'm asking as a consumer myself who buys apples primarily based on their taste. Something that lasts a year in storage is of little interest to me given the cost premium.

I didn’t see where the apples were 10 times more expensive; I saw where the launch is costing 10m (I assumed 10 million). Where did you get that figure?

Also, crispness in the refrigerator is primarily more important along the way to the consumer, not necessarily at the house. Apples that stay crisper in stores will be crisper for purchase. I’ve had honeycrisp apples that would break like glass and some that were too mushy to enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I'm a bit confused. Are consumers really motivated by a years shelf life for their apples at a cost of almost 10 times as much as regular stuff? I'm asking as a consumer myself who buys apples primarily based on their taste. Something that lasts a year in storage is of little interest to me given the cost premium.

I didn’t see where the apples were 10 times more expensive; I saw where the launch is costing 10m (I assumed 10 million). Where did you get that figure?

I actually misread what you referenced as them being 10 times more expensive. I stand corrected. That said, is super long shelf life really that big a consideration for potential consumers? I can't wrap my head around why long (refrigerated) shelf life is that big a deal for apples.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
It wasn’t a definition I came up with, as anyone who follows the subject should be aware of. Many others who aren’t afraid of frankenfoods pointed it out long before I noted their argument: we have been modifying organisms’ genetics for a long time, although people’s not so much—at least not deliberately.

Anyone who "follows the subject"? How about one who is an expert in the subject? I've been in the biotech field for 25 years and when I hear something foolish I speak up.

quote:

is super long shelf life really that big a consideration for potential consumers?

Potentially, yes. If apples stay fresh and crisp longer, when they’re long out of season it will be important to folks like me that place high value on a crisp apple. As I said above, it’s not that I want them crisp in my refrigerator for months; they typically are cycled out in a week (I eat a lot of them). But they can be stored after harvesting at the orchard, distributors, or grocery store and stay crisper for longer.

Extra long shelf life is a non-starter for me--apples don't stay around long at my house, because I eat them. I like a tart apple: Macintosh, Newton Pippin, Gravenstein, or Granny Smith. If they are just aa smidgen unripe, even better. I absolutely insist on a crisp apple--no Delicious or Rome for me. Jonathans are sometimes OK. Honey Crisp is OK.

However, I want the "old" Macintosh apple back--they've crossed it with something else (and not changed the name) and they aren't as tart as they used to be, nor as crisp. That may be better for the stores, but it sucks for the consumer.

flashguy

Exports are a huge factor and not everyone has refrigeration since we saved the world from freon.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
From the Cosmic Crisp site: “Classically bred by Washington State University researchers, Cosmic Crisp® brand apples are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp.”

The genetics of the source apples were modified to create this new variety: Modified genetics = GMO.

Genetically modified organisms have been around since human beings have been here to modify genetics by various means, including crossbreeding.
Yes, I do know that that’s not how people are using the term “GMO” now, but that’s what they are.

You are misreading the what they are saying...it is cross pollinated. GMO is when the DNA is changed by injected another substance.



Red Delicious has a higher amount of quercetin than most apples which gets rid of the bad senescent cells that determine your life expectancy.

So until Cosmic Crisp is tested, it may not be better for your health.

Nope, not misreading anything.

The problem, as is frequently the case, is that I tend to be a literalist and when someone refers to genetically modified organisms, I think of countless examples dating back to prehistory. If someone had decided on a more accurate and limited term such as “genetically engineered organisms,” I wouldn’t have made my flippant remark because I’d have had no basis for one. And I’ll point out again that I wasn’t the first person to make the same observation; if I knew who that was, I’d give specific credit rather than allowing it to be given to me.

In any event, I had hoped to have a little fun with this thread, including somehow working “crisper Cosmic Crisp®” and CRISPR-cas9 into the discussion, but as is also frequently the case, my idea of what is humorous is at significant odds with other people’s. So I’ll leave it at that.

Its a good ol' Braeburn apple for me. We go through at least a dozen a week. I am one of those that love the tartness along with the crispness. Will give the Cosmic a try, you just never know!