Renaissance Ingredients Inc. is pleased to release the results of an in-house, laboratory-scale analysis of the efficacy of its non-GMO acrylamide-reducing (AR) baker’s yeast for applications in the global potato products market. The results showed an average 70% reduction in the presence of acrylamide in fried potato products after a simple application of the AR yeast in a water solution during the raw potato processing phase.

With refinement, the company believes it can reach up to a 95% reduction in potato chips, fries, and crisps and other foods such as bread, snacks, cereals, and coffee. In essence, the company believes it has a practical solution to the acrylamide problem in a range of different food products.

In this proof-of-concept laboratory test, a “wash” of AR yeast in water was used to treat cut raw potatoes in order to remove the acrylamide precursor asparagine on the surface prior to deep-frying. In the test, raw russet potatoes were peeled and rinsed before being chopped into fries and blanched. The pre-cooked fries were soaked in a solution of AR yeast and water, rinsed in fresh water to remove the yeast, and then deep-fried. After only five minutes of soaking, the fries from the AR solution had substantially less acrylamide (27%) post-frying than the fries soaked in water.

After ten minutes of soaking before deep-frying, AR yeast-treated fries contained 68% to 71% less acrylamide, but were otherwise indistinguishable from the fries soaked in water.

“We are very pleased with the excellent results achieved in our proof-of-concept testing of our AR yeast in fried potato products. These results confirm the ability of our AR yeast to substantially and easily reduce acrylamide in French fries and potato chips, simply by soaking raw or precooked potatoes in an AR yeast and water solution for just a few minutes,” said Renaissance Ingredients’ president Dr. Matthew Dahabieh. “We are confident that we will be able to collaborate with industry partners to apply our AR yeast to a variety of potato products to deliver significant reductions in acrylamide using a method that is robust, consistent and, most importantly, minimally disruptive.”