April 15/Hamburg, Germany/Reuters -- German chemicals group BASF has acquired ownership rights to another type of potato containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The non-food starch potato Modena has been acquired from unlisted Dutch company AVEBE by BASF Plant Science, BASF said. No financial details were given.

The two companies had agreed cooperation in GMO potato development in December 2010.

Modena is currently going through the European Union approval process for GMO crops, BASF said.

The potato has GMO properties which give it higher yield of starch for industrial use.

In March 2010, BASF received EU approval for commercial cultivation of the non-food GMO potato Amflora, also used for starch, which is this year being grown in Germany and Sweden.

From the April 15, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.