Gov't approves Golden Rice for human, animal consumption

The Department of Agriculture- Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) has approved the genetically-modified crop Golden Rice for human and animal consumption.

Golden Rice received a biosafety permit from the DA-BPI which gave the nod for its direct use in food, feed and for processing (FFP) on December 10.

“With this FFP approval, we bring forward a very accessible solution to our country’s problem on Vitamin A deficiency that’s affecting many of our pre-school children and pregnant women," said DA-PhilRice Executive Director Dr. John C. de Leon in a statement.

In a 27-page consolidated report submitted by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Golden Rice was deemed by several assessors as "safe for human food and animal feed as its conventional counterpart."

The assessors mentioned in the report are the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP), the BPI- Plant Products Safety Services Division (BPI-PPSSD), and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

In addition, the report quoted the Department of Health- Biosafety Committee's findings that golden rice does "not cause significant adverse health effects to human and animal health, and that it is unlikely to cause allergic reaction."

It took two years before Golden Rice was approved for direct and commercial use in the country.

Golden Rice or GR2E Rice is biofortified with beta-carotene (Provitamin A), which gives the crop its distinct color, said the IRRI.

The beta-carotene in Golden Rice is transformed into Vitamin A as it enters the body.

The genetically-engineered crop aims to be a suitable complementary intervention to address Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in the world.

On its website, the IRRI assured the public that Golden Rice will be priced on the same level as the white rice variety.

"Growers and consumers will not need to pay more for the extra nutrition," said the IRRI.

In 2015, the Philippines was listed as one of the top GMO planters in the world.

—JCB, GMA News