Development of Heme-Protein (Ferritin Protein) Rich Potato Through Transgenic Approach

IDA (iron deficiency anemia), the most common nutritional disorder in the world, impairs immunity and reduces the physical and mental capacities of people of all ages. In infants and young children even mild anemia can impair intellectual development. Anemia in pregnancy is an important cause of maternal mortality, increasing the risk of hemorrhage and sepsis during childbirth. Infants born to anemic mothers often suffer from low birth weight and anemia themselves. An inadequate dietary iron intake is the main cause of IDA. According to UNICEF, nearly two billion people are estimated to be anemic and about double that number, or 3.7 billion are iron deficient, the vast majority of them women. In Africa and Asia UNICEF estimates that IDA contributes to approximately 20 per cent of all maternal deaths.

Potato is an important food and cash crop ranks third after rice and wheat in Bangladesh. At present potato is grown in about 200 thousand hectares for which country needs around 300,000 Mt. of seed potatoes yearly as of 2000-2001. There has been a remarkable increase in the area under potato production from 35 thousand hectares during late forties to 200 thousand hectares in the recent years mainly due to the introduction of modern varieties.

All most all-commercial potato varieties grown in Bangladesh despite their high starch content possess very little importance. Most of the potato varieties produce negligible amount of different vitamins, proteins and bio-available iron in the tubers consumed by humans. The amount of bio-available iron is dependent both on the level of dietary iron consumption and on iron absorption during the digestive process. Dietary iron in developing countries consists primarily of non-heme iron of vegetable origin, whose poor absorption is considered a major factor in the etiology of iron deficiency anemia. Also legume staples and grains, including rice, are high in phytic acid, which is a potent inhibitor of iron absorption. Foods that enhance non-heme iron absorption such as fruits and vegetables rich in ascorbic acid are often limited in developing countries. Heme iron, which is relatively well absorbed by the human intestine, is found primarily in foods containing blood and muscle. Due to their expense and lack of availability, heme iron-rich foods are often a negligible part of a typical developing country diet. Transgenic potato for different purposes was already developed such as human serum albumin production Cyclodextrin producing potato , amylose free starch containing potato . 

In Bangladesh a major part of the population especially pregnant women is suffered from IDA. Potato is a most consumed vegetable here. Development of heme iron rich potato variety will definitely help to combat IDA and IDA related diseases among mass population in our country. IDA is a serious threat to public health in Bangladesh. This is because of lack of balance diet and ignorance about food nutrition among mass population. Potato is daily used common vegetable available throughout the year. Development of a heme- iron rich potato variety and making it available to mass people in Bangladesh has great importance on public health.    

KHOKAN