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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290713
Title: SCRI acrylamide project update

Author
item Bethke, Paul
item WANG, YI - University Of Wisconsin
item BUSSAN, ALVIN - University Of Wisconsin

Submitted to: Proceedings Wisconsin Annual Potato Meetings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2013
Publication Date: 2/5/2013
Citation: Bethke, P.C., Wang, Y., Bussan, A.J. 2013. SCRI acrylamide project update [abstract]. Proceedings Wisconsin Annual Potato Meetings. p. 35.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The US potato industry, with $3.5 billion in raw product value, identified acrylamide as its number one research funding priority in 2010 because of potential health concerns related to the presence of acrylamide in potato products. Acrylamide is present in much carbohydrate rich foods processed at high temperatures including potato chips, French fries and other processed products that together account for over half of US potato consumption. Acrylamide is formed in a non-enzymatic reaction from asparagine and the reducing sugars glucose and fructose. Acrylamide is a suspect carcinogen in humans, and research in this area is ongoing worldwide. The US potato industry has a critical need for varieties that produce lower amounts of acrylamide in end products, while retaining or exceeding the agronomic and consumer acceptance traits found in current varieties. The long-term goal of this project is to facilitate the rapid, efficient development and adoption of new potato varieties that have exceptional agronomic, processing and consumer-acceptance traits. This project builds on three highly significant, ongoing research efforts, the USDA AFRI SolCAP project; the National Chip Processor Trial (NCPT); and the National Fry Processor Trial (NFPT). Industry and research leaders from these efforts are members of the project's advisory committee to maximize coordination and prevent redundant activities. The NCPT evaluated approximately 200 early generation clones in non-replicated trials at 10 locations in 2011-2012. Additional sites in OR and TX were added for the 2012-2013 trial. Production and storage research was conducted on variety Lamoka, Nicolet, Lelah, W5015-12, and Waneta. So far 4-6 lines have been approaching commercial testing. The NFPT evaluated 75 advanced fry processing clones in non-replicated trials in ID, WA and ND in 2011. Select clones were processed into fries at the JR Simplot pilot plant in Caldwell, ID. The NFPT was expanded in 2012-2013 with additional trial sites in WI and ME and 88 clones. Five to six clones were recently identified to produce 20,000 NFPT minitubers for field production in 2014. Forty three clones and their parents from the russet mapping population developed and genotyped under the AFRI-funded SolCAP project were planted in replicated plots in ID and MI and will be used to confirm SNP marker associations for key fry processing traits. For economic analysis, data availability from public sources regarding potato management was assessed, and existing data on tuber growth and size have been compiled and analyzed, which will be part of the economic analysis for the agronomic evaluations. Methods of analysis are being developing for using data from standard variety trials to predict the size distribution of tubers and how field management can affect tuber size distribution. Agronomic trials were conducted in ME and WA to assess how physiological maturity of tubers affects processing quality and acrylamide-forming potential. Results will reveal how N nutrition and tuber maturity affect levels of acrylamide precursors at harvest and during storage.