GM Potato Approved By USDA For Planting

The USDA has approved for commercial planting a genetically engineered potato -- dubbed Innate -- that contains less of the suspected carcinogenic chemical acrylamide, which is produced when potatoes are fried. Developed by the privately held J. R. Simplot Company, the new biotech spud also resists bruising, a trait that could reduce costs for growers. The USDA approval is a boon for growers, but is not without controversy. Consumers have been questioning the safety of genetically engineered foods and asking that the products made from them be clearly labeled.