Golden Rice Commercialization: Genetically Engineered Grains Reap Golden Opportunities

by Christian Allan Natanauan | Ikirara

After years of research and testing, another victory for both science and health was attained as the commercial propagation of Golden Rice was approved by the Philippine Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Plant Industry (DA–BPI) last July 21, 2021. This genetically engineered rice attributes its golden color to the added levels of the provitamin called beta-carotene, which the human body converts to Vitamin A. With the goal of reducing cases of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in children, the scientific strides toward its authorization and commercialization have been years in the making.

It was in 1993 that plant biotechnologist Ingo Potrykus and biochemist Peter Beyer initiated the Golden Rice project. Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, their team inserted three genes into normal rice (Oryza sativa) embryos—two from daffodils (phytoene synthase and lycopene beta-cyclase) and one from bacteria (phytoene desaturase). The genetically modified rice plant would then produce pale yellow rice grains, which is a sign of beta-carotene expression, as compared to a normal rice grain that cannot naturally produce the said provitamin.

In lieu of these discoveries, the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board was formed to supervise all research and development with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and other international organizations. Close links between the Rockefeller Foundation and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have led to the latter’s eventual acquisition of the license to utilize the Golden Rice Project for research purposes, extending the widths of the said genetic innovation into the Asian populace.

For the past years, the advancement of Golden Rice technology and research in the country has been led by IRRI and the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice). In the goal of extending the benefits of Golden Rice to the Filipino population, the genetically modified organism “has been found to be as safe as conventional rice" by the DA-BPI on December 18, 2019, thus obtaining approval for consumption by the public. This then led to its subsequent greenlighting for cultivation and propagation on July 21, 2021.

With the current condition of Golden Rice in the Philippines, many opportunities for the supplication of this rice variant in the market has been opened. The evolution of Golden Rice research is parallel to the successful breakthroughs in genetics and crop science in the Philippines, a win for the biological division of the country. But amidst the assurance of its benefits, other sectors have been deemed to be considered before its consumption by the masses, with social groups raising the plea for representation of both farmer and consumer groups in the streamlining of the product. Therefore, the biotechnological agencies that oversee the research and production of Golden Rice are challenged to continually improve the GMO before its eventual commercialization to the public.

Through further advancement of Golden Rice research, distribution from agricultural farms to household meals can be expected to accelerate in the following years. Through the guarantee that 30%-50% of estimated average requirement (EAR) for vitamin A in children can be provided at every serving, a decrease in cases of VAD-related conditions in the Philippine youth can also be envisioned as Golden Rice development continues in time.