Michigan State University researchers have developed a genetically engineered potato aimed at improving both chip quality and storage performance, according to supplied materials describing the university’s work on the new line, known as Kal91.3.

The potato was bred from the Kalkaska variety and is designed to withstand long-term storage at cool temperatures without the usual conversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose. That matters for potato chip processors because higher levels of reducing sugars are associated with darker fry colour, browning and caramelisation during processing.

According to the supplied text, Kal91.3 can be stored at 40°F while maintaining its sugar balance. The result is lower levels of fructose and glucose, a characteristic that MSU says can support improved chip quality. The material also states that the potato can produce a crispier and healthier chip.

The development builds on earlier work at MSU on the gene responsible for producing vacuolar acid invertase, the enzyme that breaks down sucrose in potatoes. Researchers said this enzyme is influenced by environmental conditions, including temperature, making it a key target in efforts to improve storage and processing performance in chipping varieties.

“I’ve always felt as the potato breeder at MSU that using biotechnology as a tool to improve potatoes would be worthwhile,” said Dave Douches, professor at the university and director of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, in the cited press release. “We have chipping potatoes that work well and do their job, but I wanted to take this gene and find out whether it could improve a potato that was having a problem with its sugars.”

The regulatory position of the new potato is also notable. The supplied material states that Kal91.3 is exempt from regulation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, with USDA APHIS having determined that the genetically engineered potato does not pose an increased plant pest risk.

That status could be significant for future commercial interest, particularly in a processing segment where sugar control during storage remains a persistent technical issue. Cold storage is important for extending availability and managing supply, but it can also trigger sugar accumulation in potatoes, affecting finished product colour and consistency. A variety that limits that response could offer practical value across the chipping chain.

The material also points to broader agronomic and environmental potential, although these claims are presented as prospective benefits rather than reported commercial outcomes. Kelly Turner, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, said the potato could support lower-input production and help address weather-related pressures.

“Not only does the Kal91.3 potato have a high nutrient content, but it also could be grown by using less fertilizers and pesticides, thus reducing the environmental risk and footprint of the potato-growing process,” Turner said in the cited press release. “Potatoes like Kal91.3 also present opportunities to address climate and weather pattern changes, helping potatoes be more tolerant during periods of drought and other abiotic stresses.”

For the processing industry, the most immediate relevance appears to lie in storage stability and sugar management. If those characteristics are borne out at commercial scale, Kal91.3 could represent a targeted biotechnology application in a potato segment where raw material consistency is critical to manufacturing efficiency and finished product quality.