Renaissance Ingredients' Testing of its Non-GMO Acrylamide-Reducing Baker's Yeast Shows 70% Acrylamide Reduction in Fried Potato Products

- VANCOUVER, British Columbia, November 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Renaissance Ingredients Inc. is pleased to release the results of an in-house, laboratory-scale trial of the efficacy of its non-GMO acrylamide-reducing (AR) baker's yeast for applications in the global potato products market. Renaissance's AR yeast strains are traditional baker's yeast with an accelerated natural ability to consume asparagine, the precursor of acrylamide found naturally in many foods.   In this proof-of-concept test, a "wash" of AR yeast in water was used to treat cut raw or blanched potato slices in order to remove the acrylamide precursor asparagine on the surface prior to frying. After only ten minutes of soaking, the AR yeast-treated fries contained an average of 70% less acrylamide after deep-frying, but were otherwise indistinguishable from fries that were soaked in water alone. With refinement of the process, the company believes it can reach a 95% acrylamide reduction in potato products and a variety of other food items.   "These results confirm our AR yeast's ability to substantially and easily reduce acrylamide levels in French fries and potato chips, simply by soaking cut 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 in order to deliver significant reductions in acrylamide using a method that is robust, consistent and, most importantly, minimally disruptive."   Dahabieh continued, "Our results show that our process maintains the quality and sensory attributes of the final cooked product and that it can be adapted to industrial potato processing practices with minimal disruption. We are now looking to demonstrate this efficacy in pilot-scale trials by working closely with interested potato industry partners."   About Renaissance Ingredients Inc. Renaissance Ingredients is an applied life sciences company that develops and commercializes AR yeast for the global food manufacturing industry for foods such as bread, baked goods, savory snack foods, cereals, coffee, and potato products such as potato chips and French fries. Dave Reichert, Renaissance Ingredients Inc., Vancouver, Canada, +01-604-822-6499, [email protected], http://www.renaissanceingredients.com