A few months ago I bought some potatoes at Sam's.Think they were green giant brand.They were supposed to be white potatoes but were shaped something like sweet potatoes,had odd skins,and slightly yellow flesh.The label said nothing about genetics.They tasted pretty much like white potatoes. But I am wondering if they had been altered, any thoughts?

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), December 26, 2001

Answers

Whether or not the differences are the ones you noticed, I would lay good odds that Green Giant does sell GM potatoes. From the reading I've done on the internet almost all foods you find in your grocery store already have some GM ingredients. One place to start finding out more is

wayoutfarm@skybest.com), December 26, 2001.

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info

-- gilly (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), December 26, 2001.

the potatoes you describe actually sound like a peanut/fingerling type that is closer to the original types farmed by american natives.

the gmo potatoes were for pesticide resistance in leaves & pest posion in leaves. i belive the potatoes them selves were the common commercial baker varities.

->this is quoted from cropchoice.com - "Nationally, over the past year, farmers heard warnings from companies like Maine's McCain Foods that consumers were not happy with GMO potatoes. But food processor and restaurant worries went very public two weeks ago when the Wall Street Journal reported that french fry king McDonalds and other fast foods outlets have decided to not use GMO potatoes. Buyers including Idaho-based Simplot, the USA's biggest potato processor, then asked farmers not to bring them GMO harvests.

The result will be a major downturn in GMO potato planting, although its too early to quantify. Last year, GMO potatoes accounted for 4% of US production. This year, it may be almost none.

The good news is that most farmers paid attention to warning signs and didn't get caught by the spud meltdown. Almost all bought non-GMO seed potatoes for 2000. According to John Thompson of Potato Growers..."

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), December 27, 2001.