Genetically modified potato facts for kids
A genetically modified potato is a potato that has been changed using genetic engineering. This means scientists have added, removed, or changed some of the potato's natural instructions (its genes). The main goals are to make potatoes stronger against pests, change the amounts of certain chemicals they produce, or stop them from turning brown or getting bruised easily. Some special types of modified potatoes are grown only for industrial uses, like making starch for factories, and not for eating.
Contents
Potatoes You Can Find Today
Used for Food
Innate Potatoes
The Innate potato is a type of genetically modified potato. It was approved in the United States in 2014 and 2015. The J. R. Simplot Company created it.
These potatoes are special because they are designed to:
- Resist blackspot bruising (those dark spots that appear when potatoes are bumped).
- Not turn brown quickly after being cut.
- Have less of a chemical called asparagine. This chemical can turn into acrylamide when potatoes are fried, like in french fries or potato chips. Acrylamide is a chemical that some scientists think might be harmful to people. So, having less of it in fried potato foods is a good thing.
The name "Innate" means that these potatoes only use genes that are naturally found in potatoes. They don't have genes from other plants or animals. Scientists hope this will help people feel more comfortable about eating them.
The Innate potato is not just one type of potato. It's a group of different potato varieties, like Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank, that have all been given the same genetic changes.
McDonald's is a very big buyer of potatoes in the US. They have said they will not use Innate potatoes.
Potatoes Used in the Past
NewLeaf Potatoes
In 1995, a company called Monsanto introduced the NewLeaf potato. This was one of the first genetically modified crops. It was made to fight off a bug called the Colorado potato beetle. Scientists added a gene from a special bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis (often called Bt). This gene made the potato produce a natural bug-killing substance.
However, these insect-resistant potatoes were not very popular with farmers. So, Monsanto stopped selling the seeds in 2001.
Used in Industry
Amflora Potatoes
The Amflora potato was a special type of potato grown for industrial use. It was created by BASF Plant Science. Its purpose was to produce a very pure type of starch called amylopectin. This starch is used in many industries, like making paper or textiles.
Amflora was approved for industrial use in Europe in 2010. But it was later removed from the market in 2012. This was because farmers and consumers in Europe did not want to accept it.
Potatoes Still Being Tested
Scientists have also worked on other types of genetically modified potatoes that have not been sold to the public.
One example is a modified Désirée potato developed in the 1990s. This potato was changed to produce a protein from the Snowdrop plant. This protein was meant to be toxic to some insects, helping the potato protect itself. This potato was part of a well-known event called the Pusztai affair, where a scientist raised concerns about its safety.
More recently, in 2014, British scientists announced a new genetically modified Désirée potato. This potato was made to resist a very serious potato disease called late blight. This disease can destroy whole potato crops. Scientists added a gene from a wild potato plant found in South America. This gene helps the potato fight off the blight.
In 2017, scientists in Bangladesh also developed their own type of blight-resistant GM potato.
See also
In Spanish: Patata modificada genéticamente para niños
