The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently laid down a 1% threshold for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in food crops that are imported into India. This is following the order in August 2020, which stated that 24 food crops that India imports would require a ‘non-GM-origin-cum-GM-free certificate’ from an authoritative body.
Understanding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Genetically Modified Organisms are living entities that have undergone genetic manipulation in laboratories through the process of genetic engineering. This artificial process leads to the creation of combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and virus genes, which wouldn’t naturally occur or result from traditional crossbreeding methods.
The Concept of Genetically Modified Crops
Conventional plant breeding involves the crossing of species from the same genus, thereby enabling the offspring to possess the desired traits of both parents. The term ‘genus’ refers to a class of items that includes a group of plants or animals with similar features or qualities. In India, Bt cotton remains the only sanctioned Genetically Modified (GM) crop. It carries foreign genes from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) soil bacterium, which allows the crop to produce a protein toxic to the common pest, pink bollworm.
Herbicide Tolerant Bt (Ht Bt) cotton
Ht Bt cotton is a derivative of the introduction of an additional gene from another type of soil bacterium. This added gene enables the plant to resist the common herbicide glyphosate. Various other GM crops like Bt brinjal and DMH-11 mustard carry specific genes for resistance against pests and allowance for cross-pollination, respectively.
Legal Position of GM crops in India
In India, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the governing body that approves the commercial release of GM crops. Unsanctioned use of a non-approved GM variant can lead to serious repercussions, including a jail term of 5 years and a fine amounting to Rs. 1 lakh as per the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Regulation of Imported Crops
The task of monitoring GMO levels in imported consumables was initially entrusted to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). However, with the advent of the Food Safety and Standards Act in 2006, the FSSAI was instructed to take over the authorization of imported goods. In conformity with this, the FSSAI has been instrumental in making relevant changes, such as the recent order setting the GMO threshold in imported food crops.
