UK: A new purple potato has been developed in the North that may fight cancer

Researchers in the North have developed a purple potato in the hope that it will have anti-cancer properties. The spud, known as Purple Magic, was developed by the AFBI (Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute) in Loughgall, Co Armagh, in response to research into the beneficial effects of Anthocyanins (the coloured pigments) which are a class of compounds with antioxidant. The link is still contentious but the general health benefits of eating highly coloured fruit and vegetables are already established to some extent. They are part of a breeding programme hoping to develop potatoes with enhanced disease resistance, processing quality and, in this case, coloured flesh. More