Purple Potato from Kufri Jamunia Packs a Nutritional Punch for India

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed nutrient-rich coloured potato varieties, including Kufri jamunia, to address hidden hunger and improve nutritional security. Biofortification is a method of improving the nutrient content of crops through plant breeding. Coloured potato varieties, such as Kufri jamunia, contain higher levels of essential vitamins and minerals.

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Prelims-testable facts

01Biofortification is a method of improving the nutrient content of crops through plant breeding.
02India's ICAR-CPRI has developed nutrient-rich coloured potato varieties, including Kufri neelkanth, Kufri manik, and Kufri jamunia.
03Kufri jamunia is a biofortified purple potato variety developed by ICAR-CPRI, which contains high levels of Vitamin C, anthocyanins, and carotenoids.
04Hidden hunger is a major public health challenge in India, despite adequate calorie intake, and is caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet.
05Biofortification integrates nutrition directly into the crop, making it a sustainable and cost-effective approach to improving nutritional quality.
06Coloured potatoes, including red, purple, and blue-fleshed potatoes, are rich in antioxidants and micronutrients such as iron and zinc.
07Kufri jamunia has been developed to address hidden hunger and improve nutritional security in India, with its improved nutritional profile and attractive purple flesh.

Trap alerts

Most people think that biofortification is a method of adding nutrients to food during processing, but actually it is a method of improving the nutrient content of crops through plant breeding.
Most people think that coloured potatoes are only red, but actually they can be red, purple, or blue-fleshed.
Most people think that biofortification is a new concept, but actually it has been developed as a method to address hidden hunger and improve nutritional security in India.

Current-affairs link

The National Nutrition Mission (NNM) was launched in 2017 to improve nutritional security and reduce malnutrition in India.

Prelims Practice MCQs

Single facteasy

Which of the following potato varieties is a biofortified purple potato variety developed by ICAR-CPRI?

A.Kufri neelkanth
B.Kufri manik
C.Kufri jamunia
D.Kufri jamuna

Kufri jamunia is a biofortified purple potato variety developed by ICAR-CPRI to improve nutritional quality in commonly consumed foods.

Multiple statementsmedium

Consider the following statements regarding Biofortification: 1. Biofortification is a method of improving the nutrient content of crops through genetic engineering. 2. Biofortification is a sustainable and cost-effective approach to improving nutritional quality in commonly consumed foods. 3. Biofortification involves introducing foreign genes into crops to enhance their nutritional value. How many of the above statements are correct?

A.Only one
B.Only two
C.All three
D.None

Biofortification is a method of improving the nutrient content of crops through plant breeding (Statement 4), not genetic engineering. Statement 2 is true as it is supported by fact 5. Statement 3 is false as it contradicts the fact that biofortification involves plant breeding (Statement 4).

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