27-Oct-2022: Notification of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for regulatory review of Genome Edited Plants under SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories, 2022
Modern biotechnology has been advancing at a rapid pace with the advent of new molecular techniques and their potential applications. Plant genome editing is amongst one of the most promising technologies in terms of applied biological research and innovation with a huge economic potential in a wide range of sectors. Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology proactively initiated the development of draft Guidelines for the safety assessment of Genome Edited Plants through extensive deliberations.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued an Office Memorandum on 30th March 2022 for exemption of SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories of Genome Edited Plants which are free of exogenous introduced DNA from the provisions of Rules 7 to 11 (both inclusive) of the Rules 1989 of EPA, 1986. The draft guidelines were accordingly revised, considered and approved by Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) in its 231st meeting held on 28.04.2022. Thereupon, the “Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Genome Edited Plants, 2022 were notified on 17th May 2022. The guidelines determine regulatory requirement for appropriate category of experiments and provide the regulatory framework and scientific guidance on data requirement in context of research & development of Genome Edited Plants.
Towards enabling biosafety regulation by Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBSCs) the SOPs and Checklist were drafted to bring clarity to all the stakeholders. Based on RCGM recommendations the “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for regulatory review of Genome Edited Plants under SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories, 2022”, were notified on 04th Oct 2022. These SOPs shall be applicable for all organizations involved in research, development and handling of the Genome Edited Plants under SDN-1 and SDN-2 categories from the date of notification. The SOPs provide regulatory road map, requirements for research and development and meet the threshold for exemption of Genome Edited Plant(s) under the SDN-1 or SDN-2 categories.
Considering huge growth and advancement in genome editing research and applications in the field of agriculture, these Guidelines & SOPs will be very valuable resource documents for the country. These Guidelines & SOPs are expected to speed up development of plant varieties and to reduce the time of approval. New plant varieties with improved traits would contribute towards increasing Farmer's income. Overall, this regulatory streamlining will bring transformational change in product development and commercialization and thereby will contribute to agenda for Atma Nirbhar Bharat of Government of India. This has also paved the way for India as emerging global power in Genome Edited Plants based technology and its applications.
22-Sep-2022: First consignment of plant-based meat products under Vegan food category exported to USA from Gujarat
In a move to boost exports of unique agricultural processed food products, the centre through apex export promotion body -- Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) --- facilitated the export of first consignment of plant-based meat products under Vegan food category from Nadiad in Kheda district in Gujarat to California, the United States of America (USA).
With the growing popularity of vegan food products in developed countries, the plant-based food products have a huge export potential in the international market due to the high nutrient value of the vegan food products. Due to its rich fiber and lesser cholesterol contents, vegan food products are becoming alternative food products across the globe.
The first shipment that was exported to the USA from Nadiad has vegan food products like momos, mini samosas, patties, nuggets, spring rolls, burgers, etc. The logistics support was provided by the Kheda district administration.
Stressing on exploring new foreign destinations, APEDA Chairman, Dr M Angamuthu said that APEDA is working towards promotion of plant-based meat products in a big way without disturbing the conventional animal-based meat export market.
On the occasion, Kheda district magistrate Shri K.L. Bachani assured all needed support to APEDA for export-related activities in future. “It has become possible with the efforts of Regional Head, APEDA Gujarat that first consignment of plant-based food products is being shipped to U.S.A from Nadiad,” Bachani said.
The APEDA has planned to promote a variety of vegan foods products, including pancake, snacks, cheese, etc., to the countries of Australia, Israel, New Zealand and others in coming months.
On the occasion, APEDA, Gujarat’s Regional Head stressed on adding more plant-based meat products in APEDA’s export basket. The first consignment of plant-based food products were exported by Greennest and Wholesome Foods.
APEDA has taken number of export promotion activities and initiatives, by way of development of virtual portals for organizing Virtual Trade Fairs, Farmer Connect Portal, e-office, HortiNet Traceability system, Buyer Seller Meets, Reverse Buyer Seller Meets, product specific campaigns etc. APEDA has been closely working with the state government for creating infrastructure and promotion of export from the state.
APEDA assists in upgradation and strengthening of recognized laboratories for export testing and residue monitoring plans. APEDA also provides assistance under the financial assistance schemes of infrastructure development, quality improvement and market development for boosting export of agricultural products.
APEDA organizes participation of exporters in the International Trade Fairs, which provides a platform to the exporters to market their food products in the global marketplace. APEDA also organizes national events like AAHAR, Organic World Congress, BioFach India etc. to promote Agri-exports.
In order to ensure seamless quality certification of products to be exported, APEDA has recognized 220 labs across India to provide services of testing a wide range of products to exporters.
22-Sep-2022: Sugar-coated pouches in body fluids can help detect cancer
Detection of the cancer microenvironment may soon become much easier with the help of a new molecular biosensor recently developed by a team of scientists.
Cancer cells secrete small pouches, namely extracellular vesicles (EV) covered with sugar molecules, Hyaluronan (HA), which has a direct link to tumour malignancy and is considered a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of colon cancer. These EVs are abundant in body fluids (blood, faeces, etc.), and all types of cells secrete these EVs into the extracellular matrix. Cancer cells secrete at least two times more EVs into the body fluids than normal cells). Therefore, these EVs could be isolated non-invasively from a patient’s body for early cancer diagnosis.
It is known that the sugar molecule HA associated with these cancer EVs carries danger signals in tumour progression when it gets fragmented by hyaluronidases (Hyals) and reactive oxygen species in pathological conditions.
Dr. Tatini Rakshit laboratory, supported by Inspire faculty grant of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), at Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Delhi, in collaboration with S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata and IIT Bhilai, Chhattisgarh has unravelled the contour lengths of HA on a single cancer cell-derived EV surface.
Their study showed that a single cancer cell-derived EV is coated with very short chain HA molecules (contour length less than 500 nanometers) using single molecule techniques and elucidated that these short-chain HA-coated EVs are significantly more elastic than the normal cell-derived EVs. This intrinsic elasticity of HA-coated EVs in cancer helps them to withstand multiple external forces during extracellular transportation, uptake, excretion by cells, adhesion to cell surfaces, etc.