PhilRice Develops Rice Varieties to Address Malnutrition

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has developed nutrient-rich rice varieties to help reduce the incidence of malnutrition nationwide.

Dr. Reynante Ordonio, project leader of the Healthier Rice project, said with their vision to ensure rice availability, affordability and accessibility, they also need to develop rice varieties that are safe and nutritious for human consumption.

He said based on studies, the country has a problem on protein-energy malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies.

Healthier Rice

With the Healthier Rice program, PhilRice has already developed several fortified rice varieties to include the brown rice, germinated brown rice, pigmented rice, beta-carotine enriched, high-iron, high-zinc, low-protein and rice with high resistant starch and dietary fiber.

“We are promoting healthier ways to eat rice and evaluate the nutritional value of the produced rice as we continue to improve the nutritional content of our rice varieties,” Ordonio said.

The Golden Rice. (Photo by PhilRice)

Golden Rice

Aside from these, PhilRice is also studying the possible production of “golden rice”, another rice variety which is a potential complementary intervention to address vitamin A deficiency.

“This is a beta carotene-rich rice which is developed through genetic engineering and can be grown just like the ordinary rice,” Ordonio said.

Meanwhile, Nestor Ballad of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) revealed that the Cagayan Valley Region needs additional food-based interventions to address malnutrition regionwide to include vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiency problems as well as to address hunger and food insecurity.

“Rice is the number one component of a Filipino diet. Too much consumption may lead to health complications but it can also be the means for us to combat malnutrition, especially fortified rice and other grain products,” Ballad said.

Photo by PhilRice

Biofortification issue

Ordonio said they plan to conduct field testing of the golden rice but there are some progressive groups expressing opposition to the production of the new rice variety because it is a genetically engineered product through biofortification.

Ordonio, however, said that they have already secured safety assessment from different regulatory agencies here and abroad to include the Health Canada and US Food and Drugs Administration.

“There are no potential public health and safety concerns identified in the assessment of the golden rice and they concluded that the golden rice is as safe as the nutritious conventional rice with the added benefit of increased beta-carotene content in the rice grain,” Ordonio added.

At present, PhilRice is on the process of getting the nod of the local agencies and farmers’ groups in the region to fully conduct the field trial.

He clarified that the said rice variety will only be made available for farmers to grow and consumers to eat after it has successfully completed all the regulatory requirements and efficacy studies, and when the strategic deployment plan is already in place. (ALM/OTB/PIA-Cagayan)