The testing of blighted, aged, and control Russet Burbank potato tuber preparation for ability to produce spina bifida and anencephaly in rats, rabbits, hamsters, and mice

Feeding trials were performed in which we tested for specific teratogenicity certain freeze-dried preparations from Russet Burbank potatoes. The preparations were experimentally infected under conditions designed to ensure vigorous infection withPhytophthora infestans or infected similarly with the early blight organismAlternaria solani. Some preparations were cut and aged under conditions that enhanced the alkaloid level. Some preparations were untreated. None of the preparations when fed to rats, mice, hamsters, and rabbits produced anencephaly or spina bifida.