Genetically Modified Potato 2.0 Wins US FDA Approval
Original headline: US FDA Approves Second-Generation Genetically Modified Potato for Market
The US Food and Drug Administration approved the second-generation genetically modified potato for market on the 13th, stating that this potato, developed by the US company Simplot, has no substantial difference from ordinary potatoes and their products currently on the market in terms of composition, safety and other aspects.
Simplot, based in Idaho, said in a statement that day that what the FDA approved was the company's "Innate" brand second-generation genetically modified potato, the "Russet Burbank" variety. The main feature of this potato is its resistance to late blight.
Late blight is a fungal disease, also known as potato "plague." When the disease occurs severely, it can cause potatoes to mold and rot, leading to total crop failure. Genetically modified potatoes resistant to late blight can reduce fungicide use by 25% to 40%.
The second-generation genetically modified potato also has reduced sugar content and can be stored at temperatures of around 3°C for up to 6 months.
At the same time, it also possesses two advantages of the first-generation genetically modified potato: it can prevent blackening caused by skin bruising and can greatly reduce the production of acrylamide during cooking. Acrylamide is considered a potentially carcinogenic substance.
Simplot said that if all "Russet Burbank" potatoes in the United States had the above 4 characteristics, then potato planting, transportation, processing and other stages would all see substantial cost savings.
The planting and marketing of genetically modified potatoes in the United States requires approval from different agencies including the Department of Agriculture, the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency. For Simplot's "Russet Burbank" second-generation genetically modified potato to be marketed, approval from the US Environmental Protection Agency is still needed. The US Department of Agriculture already gave the green light for this potato's marketing in August 2015.
At the same time, the US Department of Agriculture announced on the 13th that it had approved the "Innate" brand "Snowden" variety of genetically modified potato for market. This variety of genetically modified potato is characterized by resistance to black spot, low sugar content and lower production of acrylamide.
Simplot is known for inventing frozen French fries 60 years ago and is a French fry supplier to fast-food companies such as McDonald's. But McDonald's has previously said it will not use Simplot's genetically modified potatoes.
The United States is the world's largest grower of genetically modified crops. The genetically modified crops it grows include corn, soybeans, cotton, rapeseed, sugar beets, purple alfalfa, papaya and pumpkins, among which cotton, soybeans and corn have the largest planting areas. (Reporter Lin Xiaochun)