Newly deregulated GMO potato aims to benefit health, reduce shrink
Newly deregulated GMO potato aims to benefit health, reduce shrink
A new genetically engineered potato has been deregulated. The V11 Snowden was developed by J.R. Simplot Co. and has been engineered to benefit consumer health, improve product quality and reduce culls and pick-outs through low acrylamide potential, reduced black spot bruising and lowered reducing sugars. 
J.R. Simplot's previously deregulated GE Innate potato was engineered to reduce asparagine, bruising and black spots, and to have resistance to late blight pathogens and enhanced cold storage capability.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service previously reviewed and deregulated these GE traits in another GE potato developed by J.R. Simplot, referred to as Innate Potato. APHIS concluded that the V11 Snowden is no more likely to pose a plant pest risk than the Innate.
"The intended purpose of the Innate potato and the V11 Snowden is to provide the potato processing industry with new potato lines with low acrylamide potential and reduced black spot bruise," APHIS said in a report , noting that "multiple traits would be difficult to achieve through conventional breeding..." and "both of these changes are intended to benefit potato consumers, producers, and processors."
APHIS pointed to California’s Proposition 65, which requires that food manufacturers warn consumers about the dangers of acrylamide in their products. "The low acrylamide potential is intended to benefit consumers because of concerns about the health effects of ingesting acrylamide, and to benefit the industry relative to Proposition 65," APHIS said. "The reduced black spot bruise is intended to benefit consumers by providing a higher quality product, to benefit producers by reducing culls at delivery, and to benefit processors by reducing pick-outs."
"We have prepared an environmental assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, as well as a plant pest risk similarity assessment," USDA said in a statement. These documents will be available for a 30-day public review and comment period. Click here to view supporting documents and submit public comments Dec. 8, 2015, through Jan. 7, 2016.
