Researchers in India unveil Franken-potato

Saturday, September 25, 2010 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: India, GM potato, health news

(NaturalNews) Mad food scientists are at it again, this time targeting potatoes with altered genetics that they say improve the starchy vegetable's nutritional value. Subhra Chakraborty and her team from the National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi, India, have "successfully" combined genes from the amaranth plant with those of the common potato, a feat which the team says increases potato protein content by up to 60 percent.

"Because potato constitutes an important part of the diet of many people in developed as well as developing countries, it is apparent that this can add value to potato-based products with enhanced benefits for better human health," wrote the team.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study explains that the injection of the Amaranth Albumin 1 (AmA1) gene helps potatoes to develop high amino acid and protein levels, including high levels of lysine, tyrosine and sulfur. And they claim that the genetically modified (GM) crop is safe for consumption.

But not everyone is convinced. The same tactics were used with corn, as scientists claimed to have developed a better version of corn with higher phytase levels. But numerous studies have shown that these tampered crops, no matter how supposedly rich in nutrients they are, are not accepted by the body and lead to disease.

GM foods have been shown to cause cancer in mammals, including in one such study back in 2007 which found that GM potatoes led to the growth of tumors in laboratory rats. And earlier this year, a study on GM corn found that the frankencrop causes severe organ damage.

No matter what the experts say, genetic tampering of foods is never a good idea, at least not for the public. Agri-giants like Monsanto are the only real beneficiaries because GM crops give them control over the food supply.

In truth, GM foods do not lead to higher crop yields and they do not improve nutritional quality. So stick with organic foods grown naturally.

Editor's Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support the implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and well-being of all living creatures.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68K4UK...