Scots super spuds... not for sale to Scots

SUPER-healthy potatoes containing as much vitamin C as lemons are being developed by Scottish scientists.

However due to a row over EU legislation on ‘gene editing’ technology, the turbo-charged spuds may never be sold in Scotland.

Experts at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee have successfully ‘doubled’ the amount of vitamin C in a new strain of potato by removing sections of its DNA in what they have called a ‘gamechanging’ discovery.

Lemons contain around 53mg of vitamin C per 100g. Researchers have managed to boost this in potatoes to 40mg per 100g – and hope to increase the level further.

Despite the advance there is a danger Scots will not be able to benefit – as the Scottish Government, unlike the UK Government, has refused to approve the sale of food created using gene-editing.

Professor Derek Stewart, director of the Advanced Plant Growth Centre at the James Hutton Institute, said: ‘It will be transformational. It will game-change everything. We are looking at yet another food crisis. We have got seven-and-a half billion people on the planet, you are going to struggle to feed them all. You have to tweak the plan, gee it up, we call it accelerated breeding.’

Environment legislation allows gene-edited crops to be grown in England but they are banned in Scotland and Wales.

The Scottish Government has said it would continue to follow EU rules that say genetically edited crops must be treated the same as genetically modified produce which are subject to strict regulations.

On Friday at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: ‘Gene-editing is critical. We are encouraging the Scottish Government to come onside with us.

‘The Scottish farmers want it, the National Farmers’ Union want it, Scottish food producers want it.’