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GMO Idaho Spud Wins US Approval

courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission

The US Department of Agriculture has quietly approved a genetically engineered food staple at the core of Idaho agriculture - the common spud. The J.R. Simplot company, based in Boise, has won approval for commercial planting of potatoes that are more resistant to bruising, and which produce less of a chemical called acrylamide when the potatoes are fried.

Both factors are important to Simplot - and to McDonald's - because Simplot is a major supplier of frozen French fries to the restaurant chain.

The potatoes may generate less opposition from anti-GMO groups because they do not contain genes from other species as do many genetically modified crops. Rather, the potatoes own DNA has been tweaked to silence the genes which produce certain enzymes.

The acrylamides produced by the high heat of frying may be a human carcinogen. And bruising is a major concern of commercial buyers because it makes the spuds unusable.

Simplot is also working on another GMO potato which would be resistant to late blight.

Department of Agriculture approval of the modified potatoes applies only to US growers. It's unclear whether they'll be okayed by other nations, many of which have their own stringent rules about genetically modified food.

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