b'In The Fight Against Acrylamide, Potatoes Are Out AheadBen Harris, Research Associate Manager,Potatoes USAIn the years following acrylamides Through a multi-tiered trial systeminfamousrisetofamehelped thatmaximizesefficienciesandalongbyalawsuitleveledagainst minimizescosts,theprogramhasfourfryandchipmakersthe effectively halved the typical breed-industry has risen to the challenge ingtimeline,allowingforthedis-andmadesubstantialheadwayin coveryandadvancementofnewaddressing the issue. All told, weve varieties that tackle the acrylamidereachedmeaningfulreductionsin question.SincetheNFPTsincep-acrylamide levels, the result of con- tionin2011,PotatoesUSAhascertedresearchanddevelopment workedcloselywith12leadingbetweenbreeders,growers,and breeding institutions in the U.S. toprocessors.amass a large pool of genetic materi-al, tapped to create and commercial-TheNationalFryProcessorTrials ize clones that demonstrate consis-USA Potatoes(NFPT), overseen by Potatoes USA, is tently lower acrylamide than legacyaprogramthathasfosteredjust varieties.Takethe2019cohortofthesesortsofpartnerships.Italso Tier 3 (final stage) NFPT clones as anhelpedtofundamentallyshiftthe example:allninepotatoesregis-status quo in potato breeding. In its tered lower process (or QSR) acry-MessageMarch2016acrylamideguidance lamidelevelscomparedtothedocument,foundathttps://www. check, with the best of the bunchfda.gov/regulatory-information/ producing fully 410 ppb less. search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-acrylamide- TheNFPThasservedtobuildthefoods,theFDAallowsthatwhile broad coalitions and breeding net-developmentandcommercializa- workneededtomitigateacry-tionofnewpotatovarietiesisa lamide. But it will take more thanlengthy process, [it] may ultimately the initiative of breeders and com-provide the most effective solution panies to continue to chip awayforacrylamidereduction.While nopunintendedatacrylamide.theFDAsreportoffersnosurefire CountlessothersoutsideofNFPTrecommendation for fixing this pro- play an equal if not greater role intraction, the NFPT, in a way, does. thiscollectiveeffort.Forone,the8 POTATO GROWER FEBRUARY 2020'