Dr. Owen McDougal and local business Food Physics were awarded an IGEM grant to study potato processing using Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology to “reduce sugars and amino acids that lead to acrylamide production” during potato processing. Bill Schaefer of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation recently wrote “Grant Could Help Introduce New Technology to Potato Processing” in the July 2021 edition of Idaho Farm Bureau Producer. Acrylamide is a World Health Organization “human health concern” chemical that is not found naturally in nature. PEF technology can also reduce the amount of energy and water used during food processing, leading to efficiencies and savings.