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Could the European Union's ban on apple imports containing a potentially harmful chemical hurt Canadian apple exporters?

TORONTO When you go to the grocery store and pick up a shiny apple, have you ever wondered why it looks so perfect?

Its because farmers spray non-organic apples in a coating to help eliminate any of those unsightly, natural brown spots that creep up when apples are stored, called scald. And the European Union believes that at least one of the chemicals diphenylamine, or DPA is potentially harmful to our health.

Its not the chemical itself, according to the EU. Its a byproduct of DPA that occurs when it breaks down, called nitrosamines. It has long been known that nitrosamines are a carcinogen. It hasbanned the import of any apples containing DPA of over 0.1 parts per million (ppm) which began in March.

Apple producers in both Canada and the United States use DPA on non-organic apples. In Canada, itsuse on apples is 0.42 ppm.

Its not used on all varieties, Jennifer DeEll, who leads a quality control program for theOntario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, told Global News. Within North America, its still allowed up to 5 ppm.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, a division of Health Canada, has initiated a special review of 23 active ingredients, one of which is DPA.

When asked how long the review would take, Health Canada said in a statement to Global News, Diphenylamine is currently under special review based on the European Union decision. During the special review, Health Canada will assess the concerns identified in the European decision. Once the assessment is completed, the proposed decision will be published for consultation before making a final decision.

The apples that are affected are some of the most popular: red delicious, Courtland, Macintosh and empire, just to name a few.

Read more here:
Enjoying that apple? European Union thinks it contains carcinogens