Activists slam Tamil Nadu government over illegal sale of GM maize, processed foods
Environmental activists raised alarms over illegal GM maize cultivation in Tamil Nadu and its presence in processed foods across India. A study by NIFTEM revealed 15-20% of sampled maize was genetically modified. Activists linked these findings to illegal imports or transboundary movements and demanded investigations into GM seed sources and stricter regulatory enforcement. They also called for the removal of GM maize-based products from markets, highlighting prior lapses in controlling GM crops like Bt Cotton and GM Soybean in India.
Environmental activists have raised concerns about the illegal cultivation of genetically modified (GM) maize in Tamil Nadu and its presence in commercially sold processed foods and unprocessed maize grains across India.
In a letter to multiple regulatory authorities, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), and the Ministry of Commerce, activists demanded immediate action against violators.
They also called for the withdrawal of all products made from GM maize from the market.
India has stringent regulations to prevent the entry of GM food crops and the sale of products derived from GM foods. In March 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) mandated a GM-free certificate and a non-GM origin certificate for importing 24 food crops, including maize (Zea mays). However, evidence suggests this order may have been flouted.
A coalition of environmental activists, GM-Free India, cited findings from a research paper by scientists at the Thanjavur-based National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), under the Department of Food Biotechnology. The study uncovered evidence of illegal GM maize cultivation and the presence of GM maize in processed foods.
The research, published in the renowned journal ScienceDirect, utilised standard ATR-FTIR and PCR-based methods to detect GM maize. Samples were collected from near Swami Muthayan Stadium, Muthaiyan Kovil Street, Korathakudi, approximately an hour from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
The study analysed 34 maize samples, revealing that over 15% tested positive for GM maize using PCR-based approaches. Furthermore, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy indicated that 20% of the maize grains shared functional group and area similarities with standard GM maize.
“The study shows GM maize grain detected is a clandestine entry through the illegal import route or illegal transboundary movement from experiment sites,” said Kavitha Kuruganti, Co-Convenor of the Coalition for a GM-Free India.
Activists have demanded an investigation into the origins of the illegal GM maize, calling for accountability from crop developers and importers. They urged authorities to trace the source of the detected samples and withdraw all products containing GM maize from supermarkets and retail shelves.
This is not the first instance of regulatory failure in controlling GM crops in India. Fifteen years ago, illegal cultivation of HT Bt Cotton was reported. This was followed by Bt Brinjal cultivation in Haryana five years ago and GM Soybean cultivation in Gujarat seven years ago.
The activists have called for a thorough investigation into how GM seeds are illegally entering the country, whether through imports—India imports maize feeds from the US, where 80% of maize cultivated is GM—or leaks from experimental sites. They have also urged the government to strengthen regulatory mechanisms to prevent such lapses in the future.
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Source Link : The New Indian Express
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