by Amanda McWhirt - January 19, 2021
Are the extra large strawberries in the grocery store genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
Answer: No, there are no commercially available GMO strawberries.
Quick take: There are only 10 commercially available GMO crops in the USA, which include: alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, summer squash, and sugar beets.
The strawberries you see in the grocery store or at farm stands are the result of long-standing traditional breeding practices. These practices involve selectively cross-pollinating parent plants that exhibit characteristics that breeders would like new varieties to have. Over time this has led to larger and larger strawberry fruit size! Cultural practices like irrigation and fertilizer application can also contribute to large fruit size.
The explanation:
Have concerns about what a GMO is and what it means to eat GMO’s? See more facts here: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSFCS97.pdf
