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Showing Original Post only (View all)Genetically Modified Potato Is Approved by U.S.D.A. [View all]
Source: New York Times
A potato genetically engineered to eliminate a potentially harmful ingredient that emerges in the high heat required for French fries and potato chips has been approved for commercial planting, the Department of Agriculture announced Friday.
The potatos DNA has been altered so that less of a chemical called acrylamide is produced when the potato is fried. Acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in rodents and is a suspected human carcinogen. The newly designed potato also resists bruising.
The potato was developed by the J.?R. Simplot Company, based in Boise, Idaho, one of the nations largest potato producers and a major supplier of frozen French fries to McDonalds. The resistance to bruising is a characteristic long sought by commercial users of potatoes because the damage which usually occurs during storage and shipment makes them unusable.
Simplot is also applying for approval of another genetically modified potato that is resistant to late blight, the cause of the Irish potato famine. The U.S.D.A. is considering that application.
Read more: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/08/business/genetically-modified-potato-from-simplot-approved-by-usda.html
Very interesting. Seems quite useful.