Say hello to the first genetically modified apple that doesn’t bruise over time: the Arctic Apple.

Neal Carter, who owns a large apple orchard in British Columbia, initially got the idea over ten years ago when he saw apple sales declining and ready-to-go bags of baby carrots surging. He figured, “Apples just aren’t convenient enough. You’ve got the core to throw out, and if they’re cut, after a few seconds they start to turn brown.”

The Arctic Apple came about when a Canadian biologist figured out a way to “turn off” the enzyme that makes apples turn brown. After a decade of tests and government approvals in Canada and the U.S., this apple is about to take off.

At the moment, only a few Arctic Apple trees are being grown in Summerland, B.C. where Carter owns his apple orchard. Carter says the Arctic Apple will most likely come to Ottawa in 2019, followed by pre-sliced packages later on.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the Arctic Apple in February, which Health Canada describes “[is] safe for consumption, still has all its nutritional value and therefore does not differ from other apples available on the market.”

However, since the government approved Arctic Apples in the states, The U.S. Center for Food Safety have expressed their “deep concern.” Executive Director of The U.S. Center for Food Safety, Andrew Kimbrell, explains that bruised apples are a sign that they are no longer fresh. Masking the apples could potentially lead individuals to consume bad apples they say.

Watch the video below to learn more about Arctic Apples.

Photo Courtesy ArcticApples