In a significant stride towards revolutionizing the snack food industry, a team of scientists spearheaded by professors Jiming Jiang and David Douches at Michigan State University has cracked the code behind the darkening and health concerns associated with cold-stored potatoes. Published in the journal The Plant Cell on Feb. 20, their groundbreaking findings shed light on a pivotal mechanism, offering a promising pathway for the development of potato varieties that could be stored under cold temperatures, paving the way for healthier and more delectable chips and fries.
The potato chip market boasts a staggering worth of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone, with Michigan leading the charge as the nation’s top producer of potatoes for chips, boasting an annual industry value of $240 million.
However, the seasonal nature of potato cultivation poses challenges for year-round supply, essential for meeting the demands of snack manufacturers. Cold storage emerges as a solution to this conundrum, yet it triggers a process known as cold-induced sweetening (CIS), leading to starch-to-sugar conversion. Tubers laden with sugars not only yield darkened fries and chips but also raise concerns about acrylamide formation, a carcinogenic compound associated with high-temperature processing, thus posing potential health risks.
While existing techniques mitigate sugar levels in cold-stored tubers, they come at a cost and may alter the flavor profile of the final product. Jiang and his team have delved into the root cause of the issue, identifying the specific gene responsible for CIS and uncovering the regulatory element that activates it under cold temperatures. Leveraging MSU’s collaborative research environment and cutting-edge facilities, particularly the world-class potato breeding program led by Douches, the researchers are poised to develop CIS-resistant potato lines through gene editing or other breeding techniques.
Douches, at the helm of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, has translated Jiang’s gene editing technique into practice, laying the groundwork for targeted genetic modifications to engineer cold-resistant potato varieties. The implications of this research transcend snack food quality, offering potential benefits for other processed starchy foods and enhancing storage and transportation flexibility, thereby curbing food waste and reducing costs.
Jiang envisions the commercial availability of CIS-resistant potatoes in the near future, heralding a significant stride in potato development with far-reaching implications for food quality and health. By unraveling the mechanisms governing CIS, the research opens avenues for the development of naturally resistant potatoes, free from toxic compounds, poised to transform the snack food landscape on a global scale.
From laboratory discoveries to greenhouse innovations, Michigan State University’s collaborative efforts are driving the evolution of healthier, more snackable potatoes, poised to reshape the snack food industry and promote consumer well-being.
