A potato genetically engineered to reduce the amounts of a potentially harmful ingredient in french fries and potato chips has been approved for commercial planting in the US. The potato’s DNA has been altered so that less of a chemical called acrylamide, which is suspected of causing cancer in people, is produced when the potato is fried. The new potato also resists bruising, a characteristic long sought by potato growers and processors for financial reasons. Potatoes bruised during harvesting, shipping or storage can lose value or become unusable. The biotech tubers were developed by J R Simplot Co. But the approval comes as some consumers are questioning the safety of genetically engineered crops and demanding that the foods made from them be labelled.
Source: www.deccanherald.com
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