Mar 30, 2017Innate, take two – Simplot’s second-generation biotech varieties
No matter how they’re sliced, diced or hashed, seeing is believing. Passing by the J.R. Simplot exhibit earlier this year at the Idaho Potato Conference, attendees saw first-hand the difference between cut conventional potatoes, blackened by oxidation, versus similarly cut products made from Simplot Innate potatoes that were white, without the discoloration because of the elimination of the PPO enzyme which also makes conventionally grown potatoes more susceptible to bruising.
Innate has been on the market for about two-and-a-half years, and a second generation of the biotech potatoes was deregulated by USDA, October 2016. Innate Gen. 2 received registrations and clearances from both the EPA and FDA in February of this year. Simplot said these biotech Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet and Atlantic varieties have benefits for growers, processors and consumers with reduced bruising and black spots; reduction of the naturally occurring asparagine chemical; protection from late blight pathogens and enhanced cold storage capabilities.
“By eliminating that PPO enzyme in in the potato, we are able to eliminate a lot of black spot bruising throughout the season,” said Brit White, fresh commercialization manager for J.R. Simplot. “This can translate into up to a 15 percent increase in packout or recovery for the growers.
“Also, this eliminates a lot of food waste in the supply chain. We’re making a lot of progress with foodservice and retailers, particularly with restaurants. They’re seeing less waste and more usability in the kitchen because they are not having to cut, soak and now throw less potatoes away in the market. This is really a game changer.”
The low bruising and low sugars also enable storing potatoes at lower temperatures, to help maintain good fry color late in the season. White said that Simplot has received an overall favorable response with its Innate potatoes and plans to increase production this season for the fresh, chip and refrigerated market segments.
The Innate Gen. 2 varieties also have resistance to all three strains of late blight in the U.S. This has the potential of saving growers millions of dollars by reducing their reliance on crop protection fungicides and chemistries.
By David Fairbourn, managing editor
