The Potato Museum Blog: Potatoheads Talking

Italian Woman Escapes Lethal "Spud"

Ah, the lingering joys of war---last week Olga Mauriello bought some potatoes at her local market in the small town of San Giorgio a Cermano near Naples, Italy. As she was washing her dirt-covered spuds, she discovered that one of them appeared to be a pine cone-shaped hand grenade. Police arrived and safely detonated the live grenade, and later reported that it was dug up in a potato field in France. The grenade was of a type commonly used in World War II.

( At right: Potato or grenade? www.bolender.com)

Britain to Test GMO Potatoes

Potatoes developed by the German company BASF  to have resistance to blight will be grown in trials in Britain next year.The GMO spuds will not be grown for human or animal consumption but rather for industrial use. ( The potato's starch is used in degradable plastics, cosmetics, medicines and more.)

Those in favor of GMO altered foods point out that  modifying the potato in this manner may well be preferable to the heavy spraying of chemical fungicides necessary to combat "late blight."  The fungus-like pathogen that wiped out potato harvests in Ireland in the mid 1800's continues to exist today in potato-growing areas around the world.

Many in Britain are opposed to the growing of any GMO food plants for any purpose.

According to today's Reuter's piece, " Britain's largest organic certification body, the Soil Asssociation, said, however, it was dismayed by the decision, adding there would be no market for GMO potatoes in Britain.

"The government is ignoring what consumers want to eat and their health and safety...The chances of anyone in the UK willingly buying GM potato crisps or chips are zero. This trial is a monumental waste of time and money," Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett said."

For an overview of GM crops read this from NewScientist.com.

Warning Labels for Fries, Chips?

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer enjoys fries and chips as much as anyone but still feels consumers should be aware that they may, under certain circumstances, contain a chemical called acrylamide, a toxin the state of California thinks may cause cancer. According to an AP story published this Friday by Tim Molloy, the AG is after a court order that would require nine companies, including Wendy's, McDonald's and Frito-Lay, to put warning labels on certain fried products.

"Acrylamide, a byproduct of chemicals and high heat, has been found at low levels in several foods. The lawsuit focuses on french fries and chips because they have more acrylamide than other foods, according to the Attorney General's Office."

Lynn Markley of Frito-Lay said " it was counterproductive for the state to sue the companies when other California regulators are currently setting standards for the chemical under Proposition 65, which requires companies to notify the public about potentially dangerous toxins in food."