US spud industry eyes a better fry

Researchers hope to find potato varieties that form less acrylamide, a naturally occurring chemical compound, when cooked. Acrylamide is created when starchy foods are cooked at a high temperature, said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission.

Studies of whether acrylamide has an effect on humans have been inconclusive, Voigt said, but "we're concerned the Food and Drug Administration could step in at some point and regulate at a certain level."