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Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have developed a new genetically engineered potato variety that can be stored at colder temperatures without accumulating excess sugars, making it exempt from US government biotech regulations. The Kal91.3 potato, bred from an existing MSU variety called Kalkaska, was granted an exemption from the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) after regulators determined it did not pose an increased plant pest risk compared to conventionally bred potatoes. "Using this biotech strategy, we succeeded in making a potato that was giving us problems into one that's now commercially valuable," said Dave Douches, director of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program. The potato's ability to maintain its sugar balance during cold storage could benefit food manufacturers, particularly chip producers, by reducing the browning and caramelisation that can occur in potatoes with high levels of fructose and glucose.

"The Kal91.3 potato has shown the ability to be stored at 40 F while maintaining its sugar balance," Douches commented. "There's a double value to it – we stabilise the sugars and we benefit from being able to store the potato for longer periods at cooler temperatures." Industry leaders in Michigan, the nation's eighth-largest potato producer, say the new variety could help stabilise supplies and reduce the environmental impact of growing potatoes. Kelly Turner, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, added: "Not only does the Kal91.3 potato have a high nutrient content, but it also could be grown by using less fertilisers and pesticides, thus reducing the environmental risk and footprint of the potato-growing process". The Kal91.3 is the first genetically engineered vegetable developed by a US land-grant university to be exempt from USDA APHIS regulations, according to the agency's website. Douches and his team are now working with Michigan's potato industry to evaluate the potato's commercial potential.