New Delhi, June 15: Amidst reports of its clearance coming in six months' time, the high-protein genetically modified (GM) potato, touted as the remedy for country's malnutrition problems, is being analysed for its nutritional content, officials and its inventor said. The new GM potato is mired under controversy with activists saying that rather than depending on GM potato to solve the problem of hunger in the country, government should promote consumption of pulses and Amaranthus (chauli/ramdana), from which a gene has been incorporated in potato to increase its protein content and quality.
"Field trials of the new potato have been done by the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) Shimla and evaluation studies are being done, which are expected to be over by this august," Department of Biotechnology chief Dr Manju Sharma told.
Sharma said that the toxicological studies have been done by the Shri Ram Institute, while the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, is now conducting nutritional studies.
After the data is compiled, it would be sent to Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) and then to Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), the bodies controlling issues pertaining to genetic modification in the country.
Sharma was quoted as saying in reports that the GM potato would be approved in the next six months. It would be given free to poor school children to alleviate the problem of malnutrition. Bureau Report