Controversy grows over India's genetically modified potato

[Andrew Gach]

BMJ  2003;326:1351 (21 June)


Controversy grows over India's genetically modified potato
New Delhi Ganapati Mudur



A genetically modified potato developed in India to contain extra protein is
under attack, with opponents claiming that it will result in the neglect of
traditional sources of protein and thus exacerbate protein deficiency.

A senior Indian biotechnology official said last week that the potato, which
has undergone nearly three years of field trials, could be approved for
commercial cultivation before the end of this year.

Dr Manju Sharma, India's biotechnology secretary, said that the results of
the field trial results were very encouraging and that the government would
like to use the potato to reduce protein deficiency.

The potato, which was developed by scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi, expresses 40% more protein than wild or cultivated
potatoes. The potato has been engineered with a gene, AmA1, from the
amaranth plant, a grain that has been consumed for centuries in central
America and Asia.

The potato is the most widely consumed non-cereal food crop in the world,
but it contains low levels of essential amino acids such as lysine,
methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan. The AmA1 protein is non-allergenic and
rich in essential amino acids. "Its amino acid composition is superior to
that recommended by the World Health Organization as optimal for human
nutrition," said biologist Dr Asis Datta, head of the team that developed
the transgenic potato.

But activists say the potato will have little impact on human health because
the absolute increase in protein is not significant. The protein content of
wild potatoes is much less than 2% of their weight. An increase of even 40%
would raise it to a maximum of 2.8%. "This incremental increase in protein
content will not lead to any significant impact on health," said Dr Devinder
Sharma, director of the Forum for Biotechnology and Food Security, New
Delhi.

The Research Foundation for Science Technology and Ecology, another
non-governmental organisation in New Delhi campaigning against genetically
modified crops, said that the potato will divert the nation's scarce
resources away from traditional solutions to protein deficiency. "A smarter
option would be to promote the cultivation and consumption of amaranth grain
itself," the foundation said.

Pulses such as lentils are the most important source of protein in the
Indian diet. Most pulses contain more than 20% protein and could deliver far
higher amounts of protein than transgenic potatoes. But agricultural experts
say that pulse cultivation has stagnated in India over the past decade.
"India is now importing pulses," said Dr Sharma.

However, developers of the transgenic potato said that affordability was one
factor that influenced their decision to transform the potato. "While pulses
or fish or soya beans are no doubt good sources of protein, they are far
more expensive than potatoes. It is likely that sections of the population
who are most vulnerable to protein deficiency are those who'd rather buy
potatoes than pulses," said Dr Datta.

India has not so far approved any genetically modified food. Earlier this
year the government rejected several thousand tonnes of genetically modified
soya blend from the United States.

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