Fresher fruit: Moses Lake plant turning out browning-resistant apples

MOSES LAKE — Apple production techniques turned a corner recently when Okanagan Specialty Fruits opened its new facility in Moses Lake. The new Okanagan Specialty Fruits facility had its official ribbon-cutting Sept. 27. “Today is a special day for our entire group, the entire management team and Okanagan Specialty Fruits, all the way to the staff that are in the facility,” said Senior Vice President Don Westcott at the ceremony. The plant broke ground in January 2022. The purpose of the facility is to process, slice and pack OSF’s product, Arctic Apples. The apples are genetically engineered to keep them from browning when exposed to air, and were the first genetically engineered apples approved for sale in the U.S., according to the FDA.