Jan 14, 2016Innate second generation potato receives FDA safety clearance
The Food and Drug Administration has completed its food and feed safety assessment of the J.R. Simplot Company’s second generation of Innate potatoes. The FDA concluded that these Russet Burbank Generation 2 potatoes are not materially different in composition, safety, and other relevant parameters, from any other potato or potato-derived food or feed currently on the market, according to a company press release. Simplot will still need to complete its registration with the EPA for these potatoes before introducing them for sale in the U.S. marketplace.
The FDA’s safety consultation was voluntarily requested by Simplot and comes shortly after the USDA also deregulated the same potatoes, the company said. These federal clearances involved a technical review and a public comment period.
According to Simplot, the second generation of Innate potatoes contains four benefits of relevance to potato growers, processors and consumers: reduced bruising and black spots; reduced asparagine; resistance to late blight pathogens; and enhanced cold storage capability. These benefits were achieved by adapting genes from wild and cultivated potatoes.
Late blight, the disease responsible for the historic Irish potato famine, is caused by a fungus-like pathogen and still has the potential to devastate world potato crops. Innate Gen. 2 potatoes contain a gene from a South American wild potato species that provides natural resistance to certain strains of the pathogen, according to the company.
For more information, visit the Innate website.
