Breeder seeks healthy french fry

Overcooking french fries and potato chips produces a chemical called acrylamide that can be toxic and harmful to humans if eaten in large amounts. John Lu, an Agriculture Canada researcher who works at the Lethbridge Research Centre, is investigating acrylamide and how it can be reduced in tubers and potato products.
The chemical isn’t found in raw or fresh potatoes but it is formed when they are fried or subjected to certain types of processing. Scientists call it the Maillard reaction and it is the reason potato colour changes to golden, brown and eventually black. Lu is working to develop potato cultivars with low propensity to produce acrylamide when processed. More