EEUU: Authorities Greenlight Calyxt GMO Potato Variety

The USDA has recently advised the potato’s developer, Calyxt, that the cultivar is not a “regulated article” under federal law since it doesn’t contain genes from plant pests. Because most commercial biotech crops incorporate genes from plant pests, these potatoes were subject to environmental analysis and a risk assessment from USDA before they were deregulated. In the case of Calyxt’s “PPO_KO” potato, the variety was created by “knocking out” an unwanted gene that causes bruising, without leaving plant pest genes in the crop. The Center for Food Safety, a prominent critic of genetically engineered crops, is skeptical of the benefits of the PPO_KO potato.Calyxt has eliminated the gene responsible for producing the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, or PPO, which performs functions other than causing bruises, said Bill Freese, science policy analyst with the group.However, the company states that a significant amount of potatoes harvested each fall are cold-stored to ensure a continuous supply throughout the year. 

During cold storage, reducing sugars can accumulate in the potatoes, and when cooked at temperatures above 250°F, these reducing sugars interact with free amino acids to form acrylamide (a probable human carcinogen). The scientists at Calyxt have inactivated the enzyme responsible for the degradation of sugars in the tuber, thus reducing both the sweetening of cold-stored potatoes and also the creation of acrylamide during frying.

“We are very pleased with the results of our field trials; they continue to demonstrate that Calyxt is an innovative player in the potato industry. Cold-storable, non-transgenic potatoes provide a continuous, high-quality supply of potatoes and this also increases the usable yield for the French fry, potato chip and fresh market industries,” said Dan Voytas, chief scientific officer of Calyxt, Inc.