www.irri.org

Special supplement for Philippine Society of Nutritionist-Dietitians (PSND), Inc. Annual Convention 15-16 May 2014

Selected features on rice and nutrition

11Rice Today July-September 2013

This year, the Philippines is celebrating its National Year of Rice, which is focusing on achieving rice self-sufficiency, improving

the income of rice farmers, and promoting better health among rice consumers. As part of the National Year of Rice, the Philippine government is encouraging Filipinos to eat “just the right amount of rice” and expand their diets to include bananas, sweet potatoes, and maize.

1 2009 World Rice Statistics.2 Agricultural Indicators System (AIS) Report: Food Consumption and Nutrition. 2011. Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Department of Agriculture.

Also, in July, the country celebrates Nutrition Month when there is added attention on reducing hunger and malnutrition. The slogan for Nutrition Month is “Together we can end hunger and malnutrition,” a clear demonstration of their commitment to improving nutrition among Filipinos.

So, what does rice have to contribute towards a healthy diet?

Rice is the leading source of sustenance for all Filipinos. In 2009,

the country had an average annual rice consumption of 123 kg per person1—among the highest in the world. Filipinos spend more on rice than any other food, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).2 The BAS survey showed, Filipinos, especially those from low-income households, are depending solely on rice more than ever for their daily dietary energy supply and dietary protein because it remains the most affordable food in the country.

Nourishing a nationby Alaric Francis Santiaguel

More than an agricultural commodity, rice is the Filipinos’ must-have food and primary source of nourishment

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Rice and health: getting to the truth

Among the over 120,000 types of rice in the International GeneBank housed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna, and at the Philippine Rice Research Institute GeneBank, around 10,000 are from the

Philippines. Taken together, these rice varieties are the raw materials that rice scientists and nutrition researchers use to improve the grain quality and nutritional aspects of rice, which has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. These Filipino rice varieties stored in the genebanks are vital indigenous contribution of the Philippines to global food security and nutrition. “Ingenious nutrition” the theme of this year’s convention of the Philippine Society of Nutritionist-Dieticians, calls on Filipino nutritionists “to take a deeper, inward look at their own physical and social environment.” In relation to this, this special compilation is hoping to encourage the Philippine nutrition community to consider the current and potential contributions of rice science and research and interrelationships with their own work. For example, IRRI and PhilRice are working together in pursuing research projects that (a) look into the potential of rice in providing a sustainable, diet-based source of micronutrients that could help tackle malnutrition problems; (b) study the glycemic index of rice and how it could still become part of a healthy diet for average consumers and those who are at risk of diabetes; (c) advocate for the responsible consumption of different kinds of rice including brown rice and minimizing wastage; (d) explore the great potential of heirloom rice varieties as a point of entry toward recapturing the ritual aspects of meals, both in the historical and modern senses of holistic healthier lifestyles and the cultivation of community. In fact, historical evidence suggests that rice may have already been produced and eaten 10,000 years ago. This, alongside its current global status as the world’s most important human food, makes rice production responsible for feeding more people over a longer period than any other crop. Into the future, rice will remain an important food staple not only for Filipinos, but for more than half of the world’s population—over 3.5 billion people and counting.

Ang kanin na sariling atin ay para sa mundo rin.

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3 The state of food and agriculture 2013: Food systems for better nutrition (www.fao.org).

“A healthy nutrition tip for a rice-based diet is to consume rice with lean meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish, legumes, and vegetables,” says Dr. Maria-Bernardita Flores, executive director at the National Nutrition Council of the Philippine Health Department. “Eat a variety of foods every day.”

However, the stark reality is that many people simply cannot afford or access a diverse and healthy diet that includes a range of nutritious foods

alongside rice. IRRI shares the Philippine

commitment to addressing malnutrition and is developing rice with more iron (see “Iron-clad” rice on page 46 of Rice Today Vol. 10, No. 3), zinc, and beta carotene (a source of vitamin A) (See Golden grains for better nutrition on pages 14-17 of Rice Today Vol. 10 No. 4.) to help people get more

of these important micronutrients. High-nutrient rice could be an effective way to provide many rural and impoverished households in Asia with improved nutrition because rice is already widely grown and eaten in these regions.

Old-school nutritionThe Philippine government is also promoting the consumption of brown rice.

Not a specific variety, brown rice refers to any kind of rice that still has its outer layer of bran and the germ—where most of the nutrients (such as niacin, thiamine, and phosphorus) are found. Moreover, brown rice is rich in insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows down digestion and can lower bad cholesterol, while insoluble fiber helps relieve constipation. The two types of fiber work together to promote a healthy digestive system.

Despite its health benefits, brown rice consumption remains low in the Philippines (and across other parts of Asia) compared to white rice. Cielito

Rice Today July-September 201312

However, Dr. Eufemio Rasco, executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), points out that the increasing consumption of rice coupled with the decreasing intake of other foods can contribute to an unhealthy diet.

Not by rice alone Rice mainly contains carbohydrates, which are an excellent source of energy, but it does not provide all the nutrients required for a healthy diet when it is eaten alone. This could lead to deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A.

Micronutrient deficiency can occur when rice makes up most of the daily diet. It significantly affects the lives and health of around 2 billion people worldwide, with 26% of all children under the age of five being stunted and 31% suffering from vitamin A deficiency, according to the Food and Agriculture Office.3 And the Philippines is not exempt. Approximately 1.7 million Filipino children (6 months to 5 years old) are vitamin A deficient.

Balancing rice Supplementing a rice-based diet with a diversity of other nutrient-rich foods is an effective way of ensuring a nutritious diet.

Dr. Cezar Mamaril mills his own paddy to commercially produce brown rice.

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13Rice Today July-September 2013

Habito, former director general of the Philippines National Economic and Development Authority, reported on brown rice consumption in his column No Free Lunch in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.4 Dr. Habito’s article explains that before rice mills were introduced to the Philippines and neighboring countries a century ago, pounding the grains was the only processing available and so people ate only unpolished or brown rice. The advent of modern mills made pounding of the grains unnecessary and eventually Filipinos shifted to eating polished or white rice. Brown rice disappeared from dining tables as more Filipinos shifted to eating white rice. It was soon seen as an inferior, ‘dirty’ product. While white rice was considered ‘modern and sophisticated,’ brown rice was associated with poverty. But in recent years, the tables have turned in favor of brown rice.

Benefits of brown rice“Brown rice is rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, particularly the pigmented rice,” says Cezar Mamaril, former IRRI scientist and currently a consultant at PhilRice.

He is also a rice farmer who sells brown rice and he says business is good as more Filipinos are realizing the product’s health benefits. “My supply of brown rice does not last into the next season and we sometimes run out of stocks to sell.”

Brown rice is popular among well-informed, middle-class professionals, but not the vast majority of Filipinos. However, Dr. Mamaril feels more Filipinos should eat brown rice.

“Based on testimonial evidence, people consume less rice when they eat brown rice,” he says. This could lead to lower per capita consumption

of rice and could help solve the country’s perennial rice shortage.”

He admits that some barriers exist that make consumers shy away from brown rice, but he believes these can be overcome. “Many people don’t like the rough texture of cooked brown rice. This is probably due to improper cooking,” Dr. Mamaril says. “People who cook it for the first

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BasMati riCe has a low to medium Gi.

Brown riCe is enjoying renewed popularity among health-conscious people because of its high fiber and nutritional content.

4 http://opinion.inquirer.net/32743/win-win-with-brown-rice.

time follow the usual way of cooking white rice where they add water to rice at a ratio of 1:1. It should be a 1:2 ratio of rice to water. They should also soak it in water for at least 1 hour before cooking.”

Dr. Mamaril says using the right variety with the right amylose content is just as important. Amylose content is the chemical characteristic that makes cooked rice dry and flaky, or moist and sticky. Rice with high amylose content tends to be dry and less tender and it becomes hard upon cooling when cooked. Low amylose makes cooked rice soft and sticky.

“Most of the brown rice sold commercially is likely a mixture of different varieties

with different amylose content giving the product an uneven texture,” he explains. “But, if you use one variety with medium amylose content, you don’t even have to soak it in water. You need more water and the time of cooking may be longer but the cooked brown rice will be soft.”

But it is the price of brown rice that is really preventing more people

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14 Rice Today July-September 2013

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Filipinos eat an average of 123kg of rice per person every year, for them a meal isn't a meal without rice.

suppleMentinG a rice-based diet with a diversity of other nutrient-rich foods is an effective way of ensuring a nutritious diet.

from buying it, Dr. Mamaril says. Brown rice is more expensive because there is a smaller supply; plus it has a shorter shelf life. According to him, adding to the cost of production is that most mills in the country are not set up to process brown rice, so the cost of milling brown rice—even though it requires less processing—is higher.

White rice and diabetes: fact or fiction?Although brown rice is the darling of many nutritionists, polished or white rice has sometimes been placed on the opposite end of the spectrum. It has been blamed by some as being one of the worst foods for diabetics.

All foods are assigned a Glycemic Index (GI) number, which measures how rapidly food can raise blood sugar after consumption. High-GI foods can increase the chances of getting diabetes, and make management of type 2 diabetes

difficult, while foods with a low GI are considered healthier.

“Rice has previously been classified as a high-GI food,” says Melissa Fitzgerald, former head of IRRI’s grain quality research. “But this single GI classification for all rice is turning out to be ill informed.”

In 2011, Dr. Fitzgerald’s IRRI team and her colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia published research that showed the GIs of 235 varieties of rice from different rice-growing countries were more varied than previously thought.

“Our research showed that there was large

variability in GI between the different varieties of rice—ranging from a low of 48 to a high of 92, with an average medium GI of 64,” Dr. Fitzgerald says.

The identification of low-GI rice varieties makes it possible to conduct studies on the effect of low-GI rice on people with metabolic health issues. This information will be useful in developing long-term public health strategies and management plans for people with diabetes.

Eating smartIn the Philippines there is a popular saying that goes “if you haven’t had your rice today, then you have not eaten.”

The good news is that rice can be part of a healthy diet. Consumers can choose brown rice or low-GI rice for additional health benefits. Plus, rice can be combined with other healthy foods to provide complete nutrition. And, with the potential coming of high-nutrient rice – even consumers with limited choices who are likely to keep eating high quantities for rice, may be able to get a more nutritious diet.

Mr. Santiaguel is a writer at IRRI.

15Rice Today July-September 2013

Increasing the yield potential of rice has always been the priority in working to increase food security. But, in the race to feed the world,

grain quality, is sometimes forgot-ten. Developing rice varieties without considering grain quality can leave farmers with a low-value product and consumers with rice they find unap-pealing to eat. So, IRRI is developing strategies to improve grain quality in rice with high yield potential.

Grain quality is not a luxuryGrain quality traits such as size, fragrance, shape, texture, color, and taste may be perceived as something of interest to only richer consumers. In fact, rice consumers across the globe look at the same indicators to define their own preferences. Since more than half of the world's population eats rice, many of whom are poor, the preferences of the poorest rice consumers matter to ensure that their rice is both nutritious and palatable.

Likewise, farmers see the value of grain quality because better quality means higher prices, and this can translate into more profit. However, some farmers continue to plant low-yielding varieties—because the grain quality of higher yielding varieties is unacceptable to local consumers. So, ensuring good or even better grain quality is one way of encouraging farmers to adopt more productive rice varieties.

Grain quality is also an important factor during the milling process. It determines whether the grains can withstand milling without breaking. Broken grains have a lower value and can reduce the quantity of grain that reaches the consumers.

Uncompromised quality“In the past, increasing yield somehow compromised grain quality. But unimpaired grain quality and optimum yield are something that we would like to have at the end of the day,” explains

Nese Sreenivasulu, head of the Grain Quality and Nutrition Center (GQNC) at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). “Since 2004, the GQNC team has been analyzing various grain quality traits in different types of rice to help breeders select and develop varieties with enhanced grain quality.

“Grain composition matters to the whole community because of its commercial importance. That’s why we are improving grain quality by also increasing the grain’s nutritional value,” says Dr. Sreenivasulu.

The GQNC team evaluates physical traits (chalkiness, head rice yield, milling potential, and grain dimensions) and several biochemical traits (amylose content, gelatinization temperature, gel consistency, viscosity, grain elongation, and aroma). These traits help assess milling potential and grain composition, the two major aspects of overall grain quality.

In addition to increasing the yield potential of rice, developing rice with high grain quality is essential so farmers can benefit from its higher commercial value

In search of the perfect grainby Gladys Ebron

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Size and shapeDr. Sreenivasulu explains that rice has a rich diversity in grain size and shape, and consumer preferences for these traits vary among different regions. For instance, in India, people in the northwest area prefer long grains while those in the east like short grains.

“With the recent success in identifying various genes for grain size, we are in a better position to breed new rice varieties with short or long grains to suit distinct regional preferences,” Dr. Sreenivasulu says.

ChalkinessGrain appearance is judged by its opacity or chalkiness—or to the nonexperts—how translucent or how white it is. Consumers generally prefer rice with a translucent grain. Hence, chalky rice is less acceptable in the market.

Chalkiness is also undesirable because it makes rice grains weak and prone to breaking when milled. Rice with broken grains fetches a much lower price in the market. So, from a marketing perspective, high quality often means more whole grains after milling.

In 2012, in an IRRI study supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Melissa Fitzgerald, then head of GQNC, and her team identified important genetic information on what makes rice chalky. With this discovery, IRRI

scientists are optimistic about developing higher quality chalk-free rice varieties in the future.

Aroma Aroma is an important trait that is generally associated with high quality grains such as those of jasmine and basmati rice. IRRI and other research institutions have shown that most aromatic rice shares the same version of the aroma gene, badh2. Farmers have highly prized rice with this gene for thousands of years. Different rice varieties with this gene were widely adopted throughout the ancient rice-growing world.

However, what makes rice grains aromatic remains a scientific mystery today. Although 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP), the main aromatic compound responsible for the fragrance of jasmine and basmati rice varieties, has been identified, more than 150 different unknown aromatic compounds exist, says Dr. Sreenivasulu. Researchers are yet to fully understand the significance of those compounds in contributing to aroma.

TasteDr. Fitzgerald and other collaborating scientists conducted research to differentiate “premium” rice from “second best” varieties from Thailand, China, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Brazil. Through descriptive

sensory analyses with a group of trained panellists, they found that sweet taste played a major role in distinguishing the premium rice varieties among consumers in Southeast Asia.

TextureThe economic value of rice also depends on its cooking and eating qualities. In South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan, aromatic basmati rice is highly preferred for its dry texture as the grains never stick to each other. In Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Lao PDR, aromatic and slightly sticky jasmine rice is highly desired.

Amylose content and gel consistency strongly influence the cooking and eating characteristics of rice. Dr. Sreenivasulu explains that rice with high amylose content is harder and nonsticky when cooked. These are the kinds that are most suited for people with type 2 diabetes. When cooked rice cools, rice with high amylose content can be

either firm or soft as indicated by its gel consistency. Hard gel consistency often means the cooked rice is firmer.

“We are also interested in explor-ing grains with high protein content and combining this trait with high amylose in rice to reduce its glycemic index,” Dr. Sreenivasulu says. “By manipulating amylose content among other factors, we can influence grain quality to make rice healthier.”

Sensory evaluationUnderstanding rice’s composition and desirable traits is only the first step to improving grain quality. The next step, perhaps the most important one, is to have the value of these traits validated by consumers.

This is where Rosa Paula Cuevas, a postdoctoral fellow at GQNC, comes in. She conducts a regular sensory evaluation of rice with a

group of panelists to better describe and understand the “mouthfeel” and other quality attributes of rice. She hopes that sensory evaluation can bridge what people experience when they eat rice with what scientists understand about grain components.

“Although amylose content and gel consistency can measure hardness, these do not give a complete picture of what consumers perceive,” Dr. Cuevas says. “That’s when sensory evaluation can be used to explore what current routine tests are missing out on. It helps ensure that rice breeding programs reflect the qualities that consumers want.”

Seeds for the futureAccording to Dr. Sreenivasulu, environmental conditions such as drought, salinity, flooding, and high temperature adversely affect grain quality.

”Our goal at GQNC is to attain high grain quality while maintaining high yield in the face of unfavorable environments,” he says. “As of now, we do not fully understand how climate change alters the grain-filling process at the molecular level. Therefore, our priority should remain with developing varieties with the best grain quality suited for the changing climate.

“Our strategy is to explore the vast genetic diversity of rice in the International Rice Genebank, harness what is already known about quality traits across different environments, and uncover potential genes conferring enhanced grain quality under abiotic stresses,” he says. “This will help rice breeders select traits that are of interest for consumers and incorporate those traits into new rice varieties.”

For Dr. Sreenivasulu and his team, the work has a long way to go. “IRRI further needs to complement the outcome of this holistic knowledge to optimize precision breeding in order to develop the best quality rice that is suited for changing environments,” he concludes.

Ms. Ebron is a public relations officer at IRRI.

The idenTificaTion of important genetic information on what makes rice chalky could lead to chalk-free rice varieties in the future.

ScienTiSTS aT iRRi are using molecular technology to incorporate desirable milling, cooking, and processing quality traits into breeding programs. M

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dR. neSe Sreenivasulu (left), head of the Grain Quality and nutrition center, and his team including dr. Rosa Paula cuevas (far right)aim to help deliver high-quality rice varieties.

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A family of five cooks a kilogram of rice in a pot for breakfast. Somebody forgets about it and it burns—the

rice at the bottom of the pot becomes almost inedible. The kids don’t finish their meals. Leftover rice is all over their plates and in the pot, which will sit in the kitchen for hours. At the end of the day, the family throws away a plastic bag full of burned and spoiled rice. This is how a family as well as many households and restaurants in the Philippines waste this high-demand political commodity, which feeds half of the world’s population.

At first, this fact may not sit well with the Philippines’ annual per capita consumption of 120 kilograms, or about 5 cups, of rice per day. Why buy that much rice for the table when a significant amount is thrown away, taking with it all the nutrients and energy that rice can give? National Food Authority Administrator Angelito Banayo has a term for this behavior—takaw-tingin (literally, takaw pertains to gluttony, tingin means sight; the concept refers to impulse buying or acquiring at the sight of things desirable). But, what seems to be wrong with a few grains of rice left on the plate or in the pot? The devil is in the details.

Throwing it awayResearch shows that the Philippines, the world’s biggest rice importer for several years, wastes rice that is worth at least US$535,000 (23 million pesos) every day, or at least $223 million a year—enough to feed 4.3 million people. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), under the Department of Science and Technology, revealed these 2008 data, further noting that every Filipino wastes an average of 3 tablespoons (9 grams) of rice daily, which is equivalent to 3.3 kilograms per year.

With 94 million people (National Statistics Office 2010) and 9 grams of wasted rice per day (FNRI 2008), the total wastage is 308,000 tons: 36% of the 2011 rice imports.

Wasted grams per head actually vary in different regions across the Philippines. FNRI’s National

Nutrition Survey shows that on one of the three island groups of the Philippines, Luzon, daily rice and product wastage is 16 grams per capita and 12 grams each for the other two, Visayas and Mindanao. Also, middle-class families tend to waste more than low-income families. Apparently, the more people have, the more they waste.

If the Philippine figures cause deep concern, global figures for “throwaways,” plus postharvest losses, can be alarming.

Chain of wasteA Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) study, “2011 Global food

losses and food waste,” revealed that a third of global food (1 billion tons) is wasted. Part of this is cereals (including rice). Losses in rice come from the unmilled grains through poor harvesting and postharvest activities, inefficient transportation, inadequate storage, wasteful processing, and market spoilage.

The first rice wastage happens after harvesting. Cited in the report, losses during agricultural production happen when rice grains spill and degrade during handling, storage, and transportation between the farm and distribution to markets (wholesale, retail, supermarket, and wet markets).

That rice you

throw awayConsumption, when the final

wastage takes place, usually results in throwaways (due to “bad cooking”) or leftovers. “Perhaps one of the most important reasons for food waste at the consumption level in rich countries,” explained the FAO report, “is that people simply can afford to waste food.”

How much food is lost and wasted in the world today and how can we prevent this? “These questions are impossible to answer precisely, and not much research is going on in this area,” lamented the report. With global population now more than 7 billion people and continuing to increase and food production having difficulty catching up, a lack of critical attention to this is surprising.

Preventing waste, saving livesWill it be hard to change the wasteful eating habits in the Philippines? According to Flordeliza Bordey, an economist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), “If we look at the trend of the two FNRI surveys (2003 and 2008), it is not impossible to influence the seemingly wasteful eating behavior of Filipinos.” Campaigns on raising awareness can be a key to this.

Dr. Bordey, who is also the program leader of PhilRice’s impact evaluation, policy research, and advocacy, said that PhilRice launched a rice awareness campaign in 2011, as part of its celebration of rice awareness month (November). “The messages of this campaign are ‘eat your rice right’ and ‘save rice, save lives,’ which advocated reducing rice waste at the consumer level,” she added. The activities included a fun run, university visits, and Facebook blogs.

According to Dr. Bordey, PhilRice proposes a similar campaign during the national year of rice in 2012. Approved by the Department of Agriculture, this campaign aims to reach out to more consumers.

The hundred tons of rice wasted each year, not just in the Philippines but in the whole world, need to be taken seriously. Our social conscience will tell us that the rice we waste (or money, for that matter) can just be the very rice we need to feed the hungry and the undernourished.

As research institutions take part in securing food for the next generations through high-yielding crops, consumers must also help solve problems in food scarcity through responsible consumption, so that everyone will have enough to eat.

Every year, millions of tons of rice are wasted; finding ways to prevent this loss could help the Philippines save rice

by Aileen Macalintal

Broken particles, discoloration, partial removal of the bran (due to undermilling), and black spots (due to insect damage)—such disturbances in this mix of rice kernels count as postharvest waste.

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Rice fables: Philippines

The first palayretold by Alice Flinn-Stilwell

illustrated by Sherri Maigne Meneses

This Philippine folklore about the origin of rice has been told in various ways in many a gathering as it was passed from generation to generation.

Long ago, when the world was new and peaceful, trees grew tall and strong, flowers bloomed, oceans and swift rivers rippled under sunny skies, and animals roamed in abundance.

All people were hunters and gatherers. They moved from place to place, living under leafy shelters or in dry caves. Food was easily available. Fish were easy to catch, fruits and tubers were plentiful, and they could always trap an animal to roast.

Makisig and Liwayway lived happily. Life, like the world around them, seemed idyllic. Being newly married, they wanted time to be alone, so they moved their camp away from the clan and closer to the sea.

Late one afternoon, Makisig returned from collecting shellfish from the rocks near the shore.

“Liwayway, I like this place,” he said.“Me, too!” Liwayway replied, taking the laden basket

from him.The setting sun caught the crests of the waves and

turned them from golden orange, then red, until the sun disappeared below the horizon of the South China Sea. The fragrant warmth of the night enveloped the contented couple.

Liwayway soon became pregnant. They were both delighted and they decided to stay in their own place, where Makisig cut bamboo to build a stronger shelter.

But then, the expected rains did not come. The sun continued to shine every day, the soil dried and cracked, the leaves on the trees turned brown and fell, and animals left in search of food.

Makisig had to walk farther each day searching for something to fill their food basket. He knew good food was important for his wife and their coming child. Sometimes, he ate only a few berries, saving the more succulent ones for Liwayway.

One hot afternoon, Makisig trudged a long way. He found nothing to eat. He searched in a small valley, but found nothing. He trudged on up a steep hill to find only yellowing grass. Exhausted, he lay down under a small scrubby tree.

He lay with his eyes closed, tired, worried, but enjoying the respite from walking. After a while, a light cooling breeze fanned him. Feeling refreshed, he opened his eyes.

“I must be dreaming,” he thought, “the grass is dancing.”

He shut his eyes and rested again. Then he heard sounds like music. The dry grass rustled rhythmically, and seemed to say, “Makisig, we want to help. We have

something for you. Pick our grains. We are good food and delicious.”

Makisig peered through half-opened eyes, then looked again more closely. He stared in disbelief. The grass was bowed down with grains. He struggled to his feet and picked a drooping stalk.

“Smells good!” he said aloud.The breeze rustled the grass again, and seemed to

say, “Pound the grains lightly with a stone to remove the golden brown husk. Boil the pearly white parts. The grains are good.”

Makisig doubted that this dry hard grain could taste good. But, his basket was still empty, so he filled it with heads of this grass and set off home.

“We can only try,” he thought.As he reached their bamboo shelter, he worried. “Did I imagine it all?” But, his basket was full, so

he told Liwayway the whole story. They removed the husks, and the white grains were soon bubbling in a clay pot over a fire.

What the grasses told Makisig was true. The hard grains softened, and also became much larger. They put the hot grains on banana leaves to cool, added a few small fish, and sat down to a feast.

“Mmm, delicious!” said Liwayway.”And how good to feel full,” murmured Makisig.They slept well that night.Makisig returned the next day to cut as much grain

as he could carry. The wind whispered again. “Plant the best grains in the valley, in muddy soil. If it doesn’t rain, carry water from the river. The plants will grow lush and green and will give you more grains—plenty for you and Liwayway, and for the new child. In time, there will be enough to share with your clan. Call the grains palay!”

Makisig and Liwayway never went hungry again, nor did their clan. Soon, all were growing this wonder grain.

Ms. Flinn-Stilwell is a writer based in Hobart, Australia. This story is part of her forthcoming book, Rice–a grain with many stories, a collection of 28 legends about rice and the many customs associated with this amazing grain. Ms. Meneses is a communications associate at IRRI.

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38 Rice Today October-December 2011

A long time ago, I was told, “Rice is to Asians what wine is to Europeans.” Wine is linked to Europe’s culture and cuisines

as closely as rice is to Asia’s. Both rice and wine have myriad differences, but both are influenced by the environmental conditions under which the crop is grown. Each domesticated rice variety has qualities or traits that differentiate it from all others.

Grain shapeRice grains can be round to long, straight, or curved. They can be short, medium, and long. A simple way to determine a rice variety’s length is to place a grain vertically beside grains of the same variety that are stacked on their sides. Then count the number of grain widths it takes to equal a grain’s length. This method works for unhulled, dehulled, and milled grains alike. When the length of the grain is no more than twice its width, it is short grained. Medium-grain rice is characterized by its length being between two and three times its width. And, long-grain rice has a length more than three times its width.

Parboiled riceParboiling is a method of partially cooking or gelatinizing the rice grain in its hull. For millers, gelatinization helps mend the grain’s cracks and fissures, and this improves the head rice or whole grain milling rate. Parboiling also transfers some of the nutrients from the outer germ layer, which is milled away, to make polished or white rice, into the endosperm. Milled parboiled rice tends to have a slight yellowish or tannish color. It also tends to take a little more water and cooking time. When cooked, parboiled rice is less sticky than its nonparboiled counterpart.

Milling qualityRice quality also depends on milling. The milling process involves more than whitening or polishing—the mechanical removal of the pericarp from the endocarp. It begins with cleaning the paddy or harvested grain. This step may be followed by parboiling. Finally, the bran is milled from the grain. On average, with modern milling equipment, dehusking removes 20% of the paddy weight. An additional 10% is removed after milling, leaving 70% of the original weight. Modern rice mills also use sophisticated sorting machines that separate broken, chalky, speckled, and off-

A consumer’s guide to rice

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Story and photos by John R. Leeper

A. Short B. Medium C. Long

39Rice Today October-December 2011

color grains from the whole-grain head rice. A head rice output of 55% to 60% is considered good for modern equipment.

In many areas around the world, rice is packaged and labeled according to grade, variety, percent of broken, and off-color grains present. White-rice quality increases with the number of times the grain passes through the mill and more starch layers are removed. This is an important aspect in making sake, a Japanese rice wine for which the liquor’s quality is judged on the number of milling cycles, among other factors.

Grain colorWhen milled, rice varieties produce white grain. Brown rice, also known as husked rice or cargo rice, is unmilled, has the bran attached to the grain, and is one of the healthiest forms of rice to eat. A majority of the vitamins in rice are in the bran and are lost with milling. Rice is milled because the oils in the bran readily oxidize, turn rancid, and impart an off-flavor. Storing brown rice in the freezer will slow the process of rancidification. Rice bran oil is one of the healthiest plant oils and is high in heart-healthy tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are members of the vitamin E family. Rice bran oil extracted by some modern mills can be used in high-quality cooking oil, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The bran is also used as animal feed and would be an excellent source of vitamins and fiber if the oil could be stabilized.

Rice starchAmylose and amylopectin are the two basic starches that make up the rice endosperm. Amylose molecules are lightly branched chains of glucose monomers. Amylopectin, on the other hand, is made up of branching chains of the glucose molecule and is more easily digested than amylose. Long-grain rice typically has more amylose and is less

sticky than medium- and short-grain rice, which tend to have progressively higher amylopectin content. Sticky or glutinous rice has no or a negligible amount of amylose. Rice is gluten-free and is considered hypoallergenic.

Rice starch can be milled into flour or used in making everything from cosmetics to tablets. Rice starch granules are particularly good for making puddings, confections, and gravies, for which smoothness and texture are important.

Cooked rice may also be enzymatically digested to produce rice syrup, or it can be fermented to produce alcohol. Sake is the most famous of the rice-based alcoholic beverages.

Enriched and fortified ricePackaged rice may be labeled as either enriched or fortified. These represent two methods of adding back the vitamins and minerals that are lost in the milling process, which produces white or polished rice.

Enriched rice is simply rice overcoated with vitamins and minerals. It is recommended not to wash enriched rice because this removes these vitamins and minerals.

Fortified rice is made by blending vitamins and minerals with rice flour and extruding the dough through a granulator to create an artificial rice grain. These vitamins and minerals are then blended with the milled rice at a ratio of normally one or two fortified grains per hundred grains of milled rice. Fortified rice can be washed prior to cooking without a significant loss of vitamins and minerals.

Cooked riceNo single method of cooking rice works well for all varieties and cuisines. The optimum amounts of ingredients, temperature, and time allowed for cooking will vary with the variety, with

the food being prepared, and with the equipment and method of cooking. Other ingredients, such as milk and cream, can be added before, during, or after cooking to add color, flavor, or texture.

When I was a child, my mother cooked rice on the stove in a special rice pot with a double lip. A crust of brown, crispy, partially caramelized rice would frequently form at the bottom of the pot. This layer was called “koge” (pronounced “ko-gay”), Japanese for burned, and was a favored childhood delicacy. Unfortunately, with the modern rice cookers, koge rice is a thing of the past.

Packaged precooked rice dishes, now in the market, need to be reheated only by placing the package in boiling water or the microwave.

The taste of riceThe taste of rice is the marriage of two senses: flavor and texture. A majority of rice varieties are nonaromatic and have subtle flavors that do not rely on aroma. Aromatic rice varieties, on the other hand, derive much of their distinctive flavor from the mixture of volatile chemicals. Cooked rice can run a wide gamut of textures. It can be waxy, firm, sticky, smooth, or creamy.

At times, I’m asked what my favorite rice variety is. I always reply that I have no favorite; it depends upon what I am eating. Just as Basmati or Jasmine rice will not make good sushi or donburi, Nihonbare rice does not make the best Biryani rice, a popular Indian dish, or khao pad gai, a Thai rice dish. Each variety was developed for a consumer within a specific culture and cuisine. This being said, it gets down to personal preferences. Does this not hold true for wine as well?

Dr. Leeper is rice technology leader for RiceCo International, Inc.

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46 Rice Today July-September 2013

Grain of truth

by Sarah Beebout

Arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead are four ubiquitous trace elements known to have a harmful effect on human

health. These elements are naturally present at very low concentrations in the environment, and human bodies are able to detoxify them in limited amounts.

Most of what we know about toxicity of these elements comes from case studies of people who were exposed to the toxins through unrecognized pollution sources. In these cases, the people were exposed to the toxin through many ways such as air, water, and food simultaneously. So far, no evidence shows clearly that rice consumption, by itself, has had toxic effects on humans.

But, since the effects of long-term chronic exposure are not well known, people are concerned that rice consumption might expose them to these elements and endanger their health. This concern has led to interesting scientific investigation and discussion in the 7 years since I last wrote on this topic (see Are we at risk from metal contamination in rice? on page 38, Vol. 5, No. 3 of Rice Today).

Arsenic Of these four elements, arsenic remains the biggest concern. Arsenic can move from the soil into rice grain, and rice produced in high-arsenic soil has higher arsenic than average. The arsenic in soil or irrigation water is sometimes high enough to inhibit plant growth, resulting in low yield. Scientists have already identified rice varieties that grow well in high-arsenic conditions and can minimize arsenic accumulation in the grain. So, plant breeding programs can potentially develop even safer varieties. Also, rice plants in more flooded soil (anaerobic conditions) take up more arsenic. So, an effective

Rice, health, and toxic metals

way to lessen arsenic uptake is to use moderately dryer growing methods through irrigation management. The relative toxicity of different chemical forms of arsenic is still debated. But, the science for differentiating among these forms is progressing rapidly. I hope that we will soon know which forms of arsenic are safer and which forms accumulate in rice grains under different conditions.

Cadmium Cadmium is second as a public con-cern about toxins in rice. We know that rice plants can take up cadmium from polluted soil and produce grains with elevated cadmium concentra-tion. However, very few reports have shown cadmium concentrations higher than the “allowable limit” for rice grains, even when they are grown in moderately polluted soil. But, not everyone agrees on what this allowable limit should be. Cadmium is known to be more likely taken up by rice plants when the soil is aerobic (the opposite of arsenic). So, one way to minimize cadmium uptake would be continuous flooding.

Studies to understand and identify the genes that control the movement of cadmium from rice roots into the grains are in progress including the identification of genes that essentially prevent cadmium from reaching rice grains. These genes can be helpful in plant breeding programs to ensure that all new rice varieties have a very low cadmium risk.

Mercury The mercury content of rice has not received much public attention because of other more important food sources of mercury (most notably, fish). Mercury in rice is reportedly lower than “allowable limits”—with the same caveat that these “limits” are still under discussion.

A potential problem is that, although mercury in rice is lower than in fish, a large amount of rice consumed from some contaminated areas may be enough to raise the overall consumption of mercury to a worrisome level. Since moderate mercury contamination is widespread from coal-burning exhaust, some scientists have been investigating how mercury contamination affects rice. One of the more toxic forms, methylmercury, is formed in flooded or intermittently flooded soils and is sometimes present in rice grains. Some rice varieties are better than others at excluding mercury from the grains, but we don’t know yet how they do this so we cannot recommend which varieties are the safest.

LeadLead, on the other hand, received the least public interest until last month, when an unpublished study indicating high lead in rice was presented at a scientific meeting, causing a publicity stir. However, these anomalously “high concentrations” have not been published scientifically, and the preponderance of published evidence so far indicates that very little lead accumulates in rice grains, even in areas with moderately polluted soil.

ConclusionConsumers need not change their rice-eating habits based on any known risks from toxic elements. Scientists can now detect very low amounts of these elements in rice grains. Some studies are being done on how these elements move within soil and rice plants. We hope that these will enable us to develop even safer rice varieties and rice production techniques.

Dr. Beebout is a soil chemist at IRRI.

More than 3 billion rice consumers can rest assured rice can be part of a healthy, low-Gi diet.

7Rice Today July-September 2012

through diet, as it means they can select the right rice to help maintain a healthy, low-GI diet,” he added.

Low-GI foods are those measured 55 and less, medium-GI foods are those measured between 56 and 69, while high-GI foods measure 70 and above.

When food is measured to have a high GI, it means it is easily digested and absorbed by the body, which often results in fluctuations in blood sugar levels that can increase the chances of getting diabetes, and make management of type 2 diabetes difficult.

Conversely, foods with low GI are those that have slow digestion and absorption rates in the body, causing a gradual and sustained release of sugar into the blood, which has been proven beneficial to health, including reducing the chances of

developing diabetes.Eating rice with other foods can

help reduce the overall GI of a meal and, when combined with regular exercise, can reduce the chances of getting diabetes. In addition, people who exercise need more carbohydrates in their diet and can take advantage of low-GI foods for sustained activity.

Rice plays a strong role in global food security. Being the staple for about 3.5 billion people, it is important to maximize the nutritional value of rice. Low-GI rice will have a particularly important role in the diets of people who derive the bulk of their calories from rice and who cannot afford to eat rice with other foods to help keep the GI of their diet low. Low-GI rice could help to keep diabetes at bay in these communities.

This is the first of several studies the group plans to carry out based on investigating the role of rice in mitigating chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

irri

Rice consumers concerned about reports that rice is linked to diabetes can rest assured that rice

can be part of a healthy diet, with scientists finding that the glycemic index (GI) of rice varies a lot from one type of rice to another, with most varieties scoring a low to medium GI.

The findings of the research, which analyzed 235 types of rice from around the world, is good news because it not only means rice can be part of a healthy diet for the average consumer, but it also means people with diabetes, or at risk of diabetes, can select the right rice to help maintain a healthy, low-GI diet.

The study found that the GI of rice ranges from a low of 48 to a high of 92, with an average of 64.

The research team from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Food Futures Flagship also identified the key gene that determines the GI of rice, an important achievement that offers rice breeders the opportunity to develop varieties with different GI levels to meet consumer needs. Future development of low-GI rice would also enable food manufacturers to develop new, low-GI food products based on rice.

Dr. Melissa Fitzgerald, who led the IRRI team, said that GI is a measure of the relative ability of carbohydrates in foods to raise blood sugar levels after eating.

“Understanding that different types of rice have different GI values allows rice consumers to make informed choices about the sort of rice they want to eat,” she said. “Rice varieties such as India’s most widely grown rice variety, Swarna, have a low GI and varieties such as Doongara from Australia and Basmati have a medium GI.”

Study serves up healthy choice of rice

Dr. Tony Bird, CSIRO Food Futures Flagship researcher, said that low-GI diets offer a range of health benefits: “Low-GI diets can reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, and are also useful for helping diabetics better manage their condition.

“This is good news for diabetics and people at risk of diabetes who are trying to control their condition

Understanding that different types of rice

have different GI values allows rice consumers to make informed choices

about the sort of rice they want to eat.

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Governments, individuals, and organizations, including IRRI, come together to secure the world’s food in a frozen cellar located just over a thousand kilometers away from the North Pole

Rice Today July-September 201130

Mankind takes a giant leap—again

by Ma. Lizbeth J. Baroña

The first was a footprint on the Moon. The second one is a freezer.

This freezer, however, is one dug deep inside a frozen mountain about 1,130 kilometers from the North Pole, in the archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. Tucked away in this giant refrigerated vault is the foundation of humans’ food—seeds.

Neatly packed and frozen to withstand hundreds of years of storage and just about any conceivable destructive force known to humans are duplicates of seeds of different crops from all over the world, including more than a hundred thousand seeds of different rice types.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) sent its final batch of rice seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, dubbed the “Doomsday Vault,” in November 2010. IRRI deposited the largest shipment of 70,180 for the inauguration of the Vault in February 2008. Following its last shipment, IRRI now has the largest number of accessions, amounting to 112,807, for any single crop

and its wild relatives kept in the Vault. These are duplicates of the rice diversity conserved in IRRI’s International Rice Genebank (IRRI-IRG).

Dr. Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton, evolutionary biologist and IRRI’s T.T. Chang Genetics Resources Center head, assures that IRRI takes every reasonable measure to make the collection in the IRRI-IRG safe.

“The IRRI-IRG is earthquake-proof, typhoon-proof, and flood-proof,” Dr. Sackville Hamilton explains. “We also have an independent backup power supply to protect against power cuts, and we keep a supply of spares in stock to deal rapidly with equipment failure. We also have a backup collection to the primary collection kept at IRRI that is untouched, but provides immediate backup.”

Dr. Sackville Hamilton said that, since 1980, IRRI has also been keeping another backup of the IRRI-IRG collection at Fort Collins, Colorado, in the United States. “The United States’ environmental and political risks are different from those in the Philippines,”

he further explains. “This backup collection in Fort Collins adds to the safety measures being taken at IRRI.

“The collection kept in Svalbard is our ultimate backup. We cannot conceive of any other measure we could take to make it safer. We cannot think of a more secure system to safeguard this vital resource.”

Life’s frozen cellarThe frozen mountains, the isolation, and the polar bears that provide extra layers of security are just some of the reasons why the world’s agricultural heritage found itself a fortress in Svalbard, Norway.

According to the Global Crop Diversity Trust, “The technical conditions of the site are virtually perfect. The location inside the mountain increases security and unparalleled insulation properties. The area is geologically stable, humidity levels are low, and it has no measurable radiation inside the mountain. The Vault is placed well above sea level (130 meters), far

The VaulT's amidst the vastness of the cold, icy surroundings.

31Rice Today July-September 2011

1 www.croptrust.org2 IRRI. 1998. Biodiversity: Maintaining the Balance (1997-1998). Manila (Philippines): IRRI. 60 p.

above the point of any projected sea-level rise.”1

The Trust is a public-private partnership that raises funds from individual, corporate, and government donors to establish an endowment that will provide complete and continuous funding for key crop collections.

The Trust explains that, even if the supply of electricity gets cut off, the frozen mountain and its thick rocks will keep the seeds frozen for a long time.

The Vault, constructed by the Norwegian government as a “service to the world,” is managed under terms between the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the Norwegian government, and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center.

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in 2004 provided the platform through which an international legal framework for conserving and accessing crop diversity, as well as building the Vault, became a reality.

Taming the wildAlthough thousands of rice species exist around the world, only a few of these are being cultivated. These cultivated rice varieties are naturally diverse. This diversity, however, is not enough to build better varieties. It is, in this case, more than in any other, that the extraordinary diversity in rice and its wild relatives becomes crucial.

For decades, scientists have been scouring the unbeaten path of the vast wild rice gene pool to look for genes that allow them to develop rice that provides

more yield and is tolerant of stresses such as drought, heat, flooding, and saline soil.

Among the major setbacks to food production today is the increasing scarcity of resources. Hence, we look more closely at rice, and at every other crop species, to find ways to unlock the many secrets of its gene pool and help it adapt, survive, and thrive despite the many challenges.

Such is the story of “scuba rice”—the IRRI-bred variety that can withstand being submerged under water for 2 weeks (see Scuba rice on pages 26-31 of Rice Today Vol. 8, No. 2). Many years ago, an Indian low-yielding rice variety called FR13A caught the imagination of scientists due to one remarkable trait: flood tolerance.

For years, scientists looked for the genes that gave FR13A its flood-resistant characteristic. And, when they found it, they named the gene “SUB1.” Today, high-yielding varieties that had been given the flood-resistance gene are helping rice farmers cope with frequently flooded rice fields.

The wonderful story of the previously unremarkable FR13A highlights why the world should be worried about vanishing plant species and rice varieties.

Treasure on loanA nuclear holocaust need not happen to spell doomsday for food sources. Every day, a crop species is lost to typhoons, floods, war, and, sometimes, to simple things like mismanagement or lack of a sustained power supply.

It is hard for some people to appreciate the importance of conservation. But, thinking of crop conservation as a way of keeping a good credit record may help, because “biodiversity, the world’s most valuable resource, is on loan to us from our children.”2

Diversity is the insurance for food security. Every time a species is lost, that diversity narrows, which means that the number of options shrinks as well. There is something “in” these vanishing varieties that is priceless: genes. These genes hold the many answers to questions on basic survival and sustaining life on the planet.

Scientists said that warmer temperature causes lower yield for rice. They may not be able to do something about the heat that gets trapped in the atmosphere, but they can do something about the food. They can breed varieties that can stand up to climate change.

Food for the next generationBacking up and protecting the world’s diverse agricultural heritage are giving this generation, and the next, options to get around nature’s roadblocks as the human population grows, while the resources that are needed to meet the corresponding demand for nourishment become scarce.

These “options” are kept frozen, ready to be retrieved when events of the future require it. It is a way of ensuring that food keeps coming even well after this generation has passed on.

See related video at http://snipurl.com/svalbard_shipment.

The VaulT's illuminated roof against the scenic surroundings. IRRI scIenTIsTs at the TT chang Genetic Resources center prepare seeds for shipment last november 2010.

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In Arakan Valley, the upland “rice belt” of North Cotabato, Philippines, farmers hold dear a rice variety—Dinorado, a

native upland rice characterized by its pinkish grain, sweet aroma, and good eating quality. For the Arakeños, Dinorado has been part of their community as far as they can remember. Long ago, the Arakan Valley was home to exotic Dinorado rice. So much so that Dinorado has become part of their pride and social identity.

Dinorado is a “special” rice that is sought for weddings, birthdays, and fiestas, among other occasions, and it is a status symbol in the country. Its price is 50% higher than ordinary rice. Unfortunately, the quality of Arakan Dinorado diminished as the genetic purity of its seed stocks declined.1

To preserve the purity of the seeds, farmers must know how to manage the health of their seeds—and this lack in management was found in the farm communities in an initial needs assessment of the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Also, most of these farmers lack access to higher-yielding modern varieties. Traditional varieties tend to

These are some of the challenges that CURE aimed to tackle in Arakan. In a team effort, the CURE scientists at IRRI joined forces with USM, the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the Municipal Agricultural Office of Arakan, and the Department of Agriculture. They call themselves the “Arakan Valley team.”

Seeds of survivalThe Arakan Valley team understands the value of seeds to farmers. Farmers depend on viable seeds for the survival of their households; when seeds are scarce, so is food security. To avoid this problem, the team set its sights on improving seed health and quality management practices of the farmers and making modern varieties along with other traditional varieties available to them.

So, they mobilized a group of farmers who were willing to be trained on how to properly produce good-quality seeds and to know about modern rice varieties suitable in their area. This group of farmers evolved into a local network called the “community seed bank.”

Benefits to the farmersThrough the community seed bank, “We learned how to produce quality seeds such as getting rid of unwanted

1 Zolvinski S. 2008. Listening to farmers: Qualitative impact assessments in unfavorable rice environments. IRRI Technical Bulletin No. 12. 47 p. (http://snipurl.com.listen_to_farmers).

by Lanie C. Reyes

Farmers have more access to good-quality seeds through community seed banks

Rice Today April-June 201216

have a lower yield (an average of 1.6 tons per hectare). Thus, 4–6 months of hunger is a common experience among farmers who cultivate traditional varieties. During these months of hunger, farmers and their family sometimes eat the seeds set aside for the next cropping season.

Another problem is that upland rice farming, which is mostly rainfed, is at the mercy of the weather. “For this same reason, seed producers do not usually lend seeds to upland farmers; even local moneylenders are less likely to invest in farming that is deemed high risk,” related Dr. Rosa Fe Hondrade, a social scientist at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM).

seedstypes of rice from our fields, as well as selecting, drying, and storing seeds, and other seed health practices,” said Nestor Nombreda, a 54-year-old farmer and president of the Arakan Community Seed Bank Organization (ACSBO).

“In 2006, ACSBO came into the picture because farmers wanted their community seed bank to continue even after the project ended, explained Dr. Rosa Fe Hondrade.”

“An important benefit of being a member of the community seed bank is that, if my crop fails, I can borrow seeds from another farmer,” said Hernani Dumalag, 59 years old. “If I need a variety of seed, I can barter even a small amount of rice, let us say, 5 kilos. Besides, buying seeds from a seed producer is expensive.”

Aside from the benefit of readily accessible seeds, farmers know the source and the quality of the seeds. Thus, the community seed bank provides an informal guarantee of quality.

On-farm conservation“The community seed bank in Arakan achieved a momentum that allows farmers access to the seeds they need while maintaining biodiversity,” said Dr. Casiana Vera Cruz, senior scientist at IRRI and CURE work group leader for upland farming areas.

Arakan’s community seed bank is categorized as in situ conservation (or on-farm conservation). In contrast to off-farm conservation (gene banks), in situ conservation allows “farmers to be stewards of crop diversity—they grow varieties as a way of conserving them and preserving plant genetic diversity,” Dr. Vera Cruz explained. “By increasing the diversity of varieties that farmers grow and preserve through active use of traditional varieties, particularly those with useful traits such as good grain quality, adaptability, resistance to many biotic stresses, and tolerance of abiotic stresses, farmers can

increase yield and reduce disease and pest problems.”

Plant genetic diversity is perhaps more important to farmers than any other environmental factor. It provides them and breeders with options to develop, through selection and breeding, new and more productive crops that are resistant to pests and diseases and are well adapted to changing environments.2

More productive cropsGenetic diversity made it possible for plant breeders to develop new high-yielding modern rice varieties, which the Arakan Valley team introduced to farmers. These varieties were shown on demonstration during farmers’ field days for farmers to judge how modern varieties perform when it comes to yield, grain quality, and resistance to pests and diseases, among other factors important to farmers.

“Farmers can then make an informed decision on what to sow on their respective farms,” said Dr. Edwin Hondrade, CURE key site coordinator of USM.

With ACSBO knitting the Arakan farm community closer together, it becomes easier for farmers to share their experiences on the type of varieties they grow, their farming practices, and their seed health management practices.

In short, the community seed bank was widely accepted in several villages of Arakan, and the local

government unit even recognized and supported it.

Amidst progressSo much has changed in Arakan since the 1990s. “Going to the upland areas of Arakan from Kidapawan, its nearest city, used to take almost a half day,” noted Dr. Vera Cruz. “But now, it takes

just over an hour. Gone are the rocks that speckled the unpaved roads, which made them rougher and more slippery during the wet season.”

Now, a long stretch of cement roads connects farms to markets. North Cotabato has been transformed from the fifth-poorest province in the Philippines in 1998 into one of the progressive provinces and a favorite investment area in the region.

This influx of investments transformed some of the upland rice areas in Arakan into plantation crops, particularly the revival of old and new rubber plantations. Rubber trees did make some Arakan farmers financially well-off. This

2 Rao NK. 2004. Plant genetic resources: Advancing conservation and use through biotechnology. African Journal of Biotechnology 3(2):136-145.

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Farmers Hernani Dumalag and nestor nombreda benefit from the community seed bank by having access to good quality seeds.

17Rice Today April-June 2012

Known For its aroma and good eating quality, Dinorado fetches a good price in the market.

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economic progress became evident with some changes in the Valley: some nipa huts became houses of stones; the usual sight of horses tied to a tree became pickup trucks and utility vehicles; plus, some signs of development here and there—a gasoline station, a grocery store, and a hospital.

With rubber sap priced at almost US$1 (40 pesos) per kilogram, a farmer can earn as much as $2,300 (more than 100,000 pesos) from a hectare of a 6-year-old rubber plantation. As the trees mature, this gives more income to farmers. And, farmers can sustain this potential income until the trees reach 25 years old.

But what has become of the upland rice farmers in Arakan Valley? Are they a case of poverty caught in the midst of progress?

Those farmers who converted their rice areas into rubber plantations earlier are reaping the benefits of their investments, whereas some others still need to wait for a year or two before they start to tap their rubber trees.

Surprisingly, despite the popularity and the potential income from rubber plantations, the Arakan farmers did not stop cultivating rice. For them, nothing beats the security of having some rice saved for their consumption. For this reason, ACSBO continues to be relevant even with this change in the community.

In fact, “ACSBO is so successful that it has become a model in nearby towns,” said Dr. Edwin Hondrade.

The more, the betterCrop diversification is also promoted in Arakan. “We always encourage farmers to grow different rice varieties as well as crops,” said Dr. Edwin Hondrade. “A kind of insurance in case one variety or crop fails.”

This strategy was proven helpful in 2011 when most of the rice crops in Arakan failed because of rat and pest infestations. Because many kinds of rice varieties were sown, some varieties survived. It can be noted that most farmers mentioned modern variety UPL Ri5 as having survived.

“UPL Ri5 has been preferred by both growers and local rice traders for almost two decades since it was introduced by the USM team,” said Dr. Rosa Fe Hondrade.

Seed banking with a twist The Arakan farmers often cultivate Dinorado as a cash crop, but the well-off farmers, on the other hand, grow Dinorado for their food. Among Arakeños, “no other rice can compete with its taste.”

Under the leadership of municipal agricultural officer Edgar Araña, Dinorado, Arakan’s priority product, is listed under the “one town, one product” program of the national government. That is why knowledge of good seed health practices is of great value for the Arakan community.

Moreover, the community seed bank model has been embraced by the local government unit of Arakan, but with a twist. It applies the principles and practices of a community seed bank to develop and preserve its exotic Dinorado variety, and it promotes organic farming. “Applying ‘organic amendment’ to the Arakan Dinorado brand further increases its value,” Mr. Araña said. “It can be sold for up to 80 pesos (almost $2) per kilogram.” This is more than double the price of standard types of rice in the Philippines.

For Mr. Araña, the local government unit is not only

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some rice areas in arakan are converted to rubber plantations because of higher potential income from rubber.

Rice Today April-June 201218

preserving Arakan’s Dinorado and conserving biodiversity but also nurturing the soil—the “source of life”—on which rice grows. “Organic farming is friendly to the environment and healthy for humans,” he said.

Within the context of conserving the “source of life,” in 2009, the local government unit established the Land Utilization Program for Sustainable Livelihood of Arakeños (LUPA, the Tagalog word for soil). The LUPA conducts farmers’ field schools that incorporate community seed banking and organic farming.

In addition, Mr. Araña shared that the community seed bank has an ecotourism aspect, which is deemed a spillover success. “People are interested in visiting Arakan to see how its exotic Dinorado is cultivated organically.”

Confessions of a “backslider”Although organic farming is believed and followed faithfully by members of the LUPA, there are some “backsliders.”

“We are called ‘backsliders’ because we reverted back to using chemicals such as pesticides and

herbicides,” farmer Nestor Nombreda said.

“If one’s area is small, hand weeding is okay,” he explained. “But, if the area is more than a hectare, it is difficult to weed by hand.”

A farmer’s choiceWhether it is about the type of rice varieties to cultivate or the methods of farming practiced, “farmers have to judge the opportunities available to them and what suits their conditions best before they decide for themselves,” said Dr. David Johnson, IRRI weed scientist and CURE coordinator.

“It is important that we offer

farmers options, as we recognize that farmers often know better than we do in many ways,” he added.

Surely, the community seed bank has helped farmers in Arakan. They learned how to produce good-quality seeds that resulted in an increased seed supply of a culturally important traditional variety that fetches a high price such as Dinorado and a high-yielding modern variety such as UPL Ri5. Now, with access to modern varieties, they can have more stable and better yields that can stand up to unfavorable conditions. As a result, more and more farmers will no longer experience food insecurity and hunger.

19Rice Today April-June 2012

some members of the arakan Valley team: (L-r) James Dulay of the local government unit of arakan, Dr. edwin Hondrade of the university of southern mindanao, arakan municipal agricultural officer edgar araña, Dr. casiana Vera cruz of irri, and mr. enrique Layola of the Department of agriculture.

Hinumay, Lambog, and amma are among the traditional varieties that farmers grow in arakan Valley.

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12 Rice Today October-December 2010 13Rice Today October-December 2010

For thousands of years, the indigenous tribes of the mountainous Cordillera region in the northern part of Luzon Island

in the Philippines placed their fate in the hands of chosen women. They are the “seed keepers” and they are tasked with harvesting the life force of their rice.

Seed keepers select the grains to be saved and sown for the next planting season, thus playing a crucial role in the turnout of the next rice harvests. Before harvesting begins, they scour the field and take great care in picking the panicles with the best form and structure. The prized seeds are then planted and nurtured in specific areas in the rice paddy isolated from other plants. These are propagated until the seed keepers

have accumulated enough stocks to share with farmers.

Through the millennia of crop domestication and selection, the seed keepers were, and still are, instrumental in shaping the characteristics of their rice varieties. Only the most vigorous, acclimated, and healthy seedlings make the cut—which means they are the most suited to withstand pests, diseases, and the environmental conditions of the region.

Heirloom harvestAfter being handed down in an unbroken link, from generation to generation, more than 300 of these native rice varieties achieved a venerated status as tribal heirlooms. Heirloom rice is a spiritual bridge to the ancestors who

built considerable knowledge through trial and error and fashioned unique technologies from experiences collected over the centuries. It has become as much a part of the region’s culture and identity as the resplendent rice terraces that the people’s forebearers carved out of the mountainsides.

What actually separates native varieties of rice from heirloom rice is hard to identify. “What makes a family belonging something treasurable?” asked Nigel Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton, an evolutionary biologist and head of the International Rice Research Institute’s (IRRI) T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center. “If it’s something that’s been handed down from your great-grandparents, it gains some meaning to

you. Some emotional meaning that has a particular value in your way of living.

“I would think of it as a community judgment,” he added. “It’s not really the individual farmer. It needs a bigger scale than just a farmer. But we’re talking about just opinions here. This is a concept that’s developing in many countries, recognizing that something is special about some old varieties that you don’t get in new varieties.”

Genetic reservoirBut heirloom rice has intrinsic values to outsiders as well. The seed keepers were the original rice plant breeders. The enormous diversity of rice they developed in the Cordillera region is like a big box of genetic tools that serve as a crucial line of defense against the threat of insects and diseases.

“When we bring rice into the genebank and make it available for breeding, the value in that comes in specific genes,” said Dr. Sackville Hamilton. “Maybe the aroma gene, maybe something special about the texture, the taste, the resistance to diseases, and many different attributes. We can generate a value that’s good for farmers out of the material in the genebank, just by virtue of its genetic properties. We can combine these genetic properties into other varieties and make, we hope, better varieties.”

But these native rice varieties were not always viewed this way.

Out with the old, in with the new “When IRRI started, in the 1960s, the mentality was: we need more food,” Dr. Sackville Hamilton explained. “IRRI knows how to produce more food, higher yields, with more fertilizer, with dwarf genes, all those kinds of things. We developed the technology that replaced the technologies that farmers had at the time.”

But every community had its own culture, its own way of growing rice, and its own varieties. So, Dr. Sackville Hamilton said that by adopting IRRI’s early technologies, “We just threw away their old technology and replaced it with the new technology.”

The new technology included new high-performing rice varieties and vegetables. The Banaue terrace farmers in Ifugao Province, impressed by the new varieties, swapped their heirloom rice varieties for nonindigenous, high-yielding rice varieties, which can be planted and harvested twice a year,

and also for temperate vegetable crops promoted by the Philippine government through the Green Revolution.

The high price of changeBut the new rice varieties and vegetable crops required expensive inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Years of heavy use of pesticides and commercial fertilizers diminished the fertility of the soil.1 It also “accelerated the poisoning of the rice terraces,”2 thus destroying agrobiodiversity and making traditional rice paddy cultivation of fish, shells, and clams no longer feasible.3

The spiraling cost of pesticides and chemical fertilizers had put farmers in debt.3 When the farmers were forced to stop using agrochemicals because of their high prices, the yield capacity of the rice in the Banaue terraces suffered drastically. Robert Domoguen, chief information officer, Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera Region, reported in 2008 that farmers who tried to plant high-yielding varieties in their fields stopped doing so when they observed that, without chemical fertilizers, the succeeding crops grown in the same paddies produced low yields.4 He added that modern varieties also required pesticides to protect them during diseases and pest infestation.

1 Carling J. 2001. The Cordillera indigenous peoples, their environment and human rights. Paper presented at the Asia Society. 2 UNESCO Bangkok. 2008. The effects of tourism on culture and the environment in Asia and the Pacific: sustainable tourism and the preservation of the World Heritage Site of the

Ifugao Rice Terraces, Philippines. Bangkok (Thailand): UNESCO Bangkok. 90 p.3 Baguilat Jr., Teodoro. 2005. Conservation and land use: using indigenous management systems in Ifugao, Philippine Cordilleras. Paper presented at the Conférence Internationale

Biodiversité: science et gouvernance Atelier 13—Diversité biologique, diversité culturelle: Enjeux autour des savoirs locaux. 4 Domoguen, Robert. 2008. Best practices on agricultural crops production and resource management in the highlands of the Philippines Cordillera. Philippines: Department of

Agriculture, High-Value Commercial Crops (HVCC) Programs. 184 p.

by Alaric Francis SantiaguelThe seed keepers’

treasuretreasure

Challenged and threatened by development intruding on their lands and traditions, the seed keepers of the Philippines’ Cordillera region fiercely held on to their native rice varieties. Now, the world is discovering the precious gems in their possession: heirloom rice.

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Cream of the crop. Seed keepers such as editah Dumawol (inset) carefully scour the rice fields for robust panicles heavy with grains. only those that meet the seed keepers’ standards are set aside for future planting.

moDern-Day seed keeper. Dr. Sackville Hamilton recognizes that the unique genes in heirloom rice could be crucial for breeding modern varieties.

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GM rice growing in a confined field trial at irri.

12 Rice Today January-March 2013

GM crops have been grown commercially since the 1990s. The global coverage of GM crops in 2011 was 160 million

hectares in 29 countries (Fig. 1), reports the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. And, they predict that, by 2015, at least 20 million farmers in more than 40 countries will be using the products of biotechnology, including GM crops, on around 200 million hectares.

This article specifically focuses on GM rice—that is, rice that has had a gene or genes from another species or rice variety introduced into its genome using modern biotechnology techniques. This GM rice exhibits the

traits conferred by the introduced gene or genes.

As of December 2012, commercialized GM rice had not yet become a reality—which means, farmers aren’t growing it and consumers can’t eat it yet.

The GM Crop Database of the Center for Environmental Risk Assessment shows that two GM rice varieties (LLRice60 and LLRice62, both with herbicide resistance) were approved in the United States in 2000. Subsequent approval of these and other types of herbicide-resistant GM rice occurred across Canada, Australia, Mexico, and Colombia. However, none of these approvals resulted in commercialization.

In 2009, China granted biosafety approval to GM rice with pest resistance, but no commercial rollout has taken place.

Nevertheless, R&D on GM rice continues to advance in both the public and private sector around the world. GMO Compass notes that Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain, and the United States have all been involved with GM rice. Bangladesh and South Korea are also engaged in research on GM rice.

Researchers are working on GM rice with higher yield; increased resistance to pests, diseases, and herbicide; better tolerance of drought

People often argue passionately for or against genetically modified (GM) crops. Rice Today’s aim here is not to take sides in a debate that has often generated more heat than light, but rather to look at the facts—what is actually happening in relation to GM rice with a separate focus on work underway at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

by Adam Barclay and Sophie Clayton

The sTaTe of play:

genetically modified rice

GM rice growing in a confined field trial at irri.

irri

Golden rice is being further developed and evaluated as a potential new way to address vitamin A deficiency.

13Rice Today January-March 2013

and salinity; improved nutritional value and health benefits; and higher nitrogen-use efficiency.

Research on GM rice at IRRIIRRI’s approach to its GM rice R&D is based on a premise that genetic modification has the potential to safely deliver to rice farmers and consumers a number of benefits that cannot be achieved through other breeding methods.

Genetic modification is used as a research tool—to understand gene function—even when there is no intention to develop a GM rice variety, and to develop new GM varieties with added beneficial traits that cannot be found within the rice gene pool.

“Compared with other major crops such as corn (maize) or wheat, rice has an extraordinarily diverse genetic resource base that spreads across at least 24 different species of rice,“ explains Dr. Eero Nissilä, head of IRRI’s Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division. “This means there is already a very large pool of useful rice genes that breeders can use to develop new varieties of rice with improved traits.

“In fact, less than 5% of our rice breeding focuses on delivering GM rice varieties,” he adds.

Golden RiceThe best-known and most advanced example of IRRI’s research on GM rice

for better nutrition on pages 14-17 of Rice Today Vol. 10, No. 4).

By working with a mix of leading agricultural and health organizations, IRRI is helping to further develop and evaluate Golden Rice as a potential new way to help address vitamin-A deficiency. Work on Golden Rice is most advanced in the Philippines, where it is led nationally by Dr. Antonio Alfonso of the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

“We’ve completed some initial field tests in different locations to evaluate and select breeding lines that potentially would meet farmers’ and consumers’ expectations, to see how Golden Rice grows in different environments, and to compare any environmental impacts of Golden Rice with those of other rice varieties,” said Dr. Alfonso.

is that of Golden Rice. Unlike other rice, this contains beta carotene—a source of vitamin A (See Golden grains

Fig. 1. Map showing the 29 countries that grow biotech crops, by rank according to area (2011).Source of map: ISAAA Brief 43-2011: Executive Summary: Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2011 (www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/43/executivesummary/default.asp).

Golden rice is being further developed and evaluated as a potential new way to tackle vitamin-A deficiency.

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Street,” said Lynne Featherstone, UK Parliamentary undersecretary of state for international development. “This new funding will enable IRRI to begin producing prototypes of this ‘super rice’ for testing. This could prove a critical breakthrough in feeding an ever-growing number of hungry mouths.”

The research still has a long way to go, but the scientists have already identified crucial genes needed to assemble C4 photosynthesis in rice, and they now aim to produce C4 rice prototypes for testing.

Iron-clad riceIRRI senior scientist Dr. Inez Slamet-Loedin is leading two other projects on GM rice. Like Golden Rice, the first of these aims to combat the problem of “hidden hunger,” or micronutrient malnutrition, worldwide.

Dr. Slamet-Loedin and her team are developing iron-rich rice. This has the potential to prevent the iron-deficiency anemia that afflicts more than 1 billion people globally, particularly poor women and children (see Iron-clad rice on page 46 of Rice Today, Vol. 10, No. 3). Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia contribute to increased maternal mortality, stifle children’s cognitive and physical development, and reduce people’s energy.

In its experimental work, IRRI has added two genes to the popular rice variety IR64. One of these is a gene named “ferritin” from soybean, which codes for iron storage. Rice has its own ferritin gene, but adding another increases the plant’s iron-storage capacity. Ferritin from soybeans is a major source of iron for vegetarians. Crucially, it provides iron that is highly bioavailable—that is, can be easily absorbed and used by the body. The other gene, which comes from another rice variety, helps transport iron to the grain.

“Adding a ferritin gene will increase iron-storage capacity,” explains Dr. Slamet-Loedin, “but you also need to increase the amount of bioavailable iron reaching the grain—hence, the need for the transporter gene, which allows iron in the leaf, where it is abundant, to be moved to the grain, the part of the rice that is eaten.”

As a bonus, she says, the use of a transporter gene will also increase zinc in the grain.

In 2012, IRRI and the Colombia-based International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) each performed the first confined field trials of iron-rich GM rice outside of Japan, to look at iron content in the grain and to check the performance of rice in different conditions.

Non-GM rice varieties that are relatively high in iron have concentrations of 5–8 parts per million. Dr. Slamet-Loedin’s team targets an iron concentration of 13–14.5 parts per million in rice grain. Given average rice consumption, this could provide 30% of women’s and children’s estimated iron

Rice Today January-March 2013

“We use genetic modification when we see a unique

opportunity to incorporate a new trait … that could have significant benefits for rice

farmers and consumers.”Eero Nissilä, head of rice breeding, IRRI

Turbocharged C4 riceIRRI’s most ambitious attempt to genetically modify rice is its C4 rice project. The project, which brings together a mix of international partners, is attempting to make rice much better at photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into grain (see New rice plant could ease threat of hunger for poor on page 8 of Rice Today Vol. 8, No. 2).

Rice uses a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which is much less efficient than plants such as maize that use a C4 pathway. Rice already has all the components required for C4 photosynthesis, but they are distributed “differently” within rice cells. By rearranging the photosynthetic structures within the leaves using genetic modification, it is theoretically possible to switch rice over to C4 photosynthesis—potentially increasing productivity by 50%.

In 2012, the C4 rice project got an injection of financial support valued at US$14 million over 3 years from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK government, and directly from IRRI.

“This is exactly the sort of innovative scientific research that the [UK] Prime Minister was calling for at the Hunger Summit at Downing

dr. eero nissilä and dr. inez Slamet-loedin are using genetic modification in their rice breeding and research to help develop new rice varieties.

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Rice Today January-March 2013

requirements. Early trials at IRRI revealed an iron content of 11–13 ppm, on the cusp of the target. Further growing, bioavailability, and food and environmental safety tests are still needed as the team works toward iron-clad rice.

Confirming gene functionDr. Nissilä explains that one of the most important uses of genetic modification at IRRI is in identifying useful genes and confirming the trait they are responsible for. By using genetic modification, researchers can take a rice gene that they suspect may be responsible for a favorable trait, and insert it into another rice plant to see whether the trait of interest is also transferred. If it is, then they know that is the gene they want to target in their conventional breeding programs—which will result in a regular, non-GM rice variety that includes the beneficial gene and associated trait.

For example, IRRI used genetic modification to confirm the major gene responsible for phosphorus uptake—PSTOL1 (see Rice gene boosts phosphorus uptake on page 6 of Rice Today Vol. 11, No. 4). However, the original rice plant with the PSTOL1 gene was not genetically modified and future varieties bred to include the PSTOL1 gene will not be GM.

varying severity and length, and at different times during the growing season (drought hitting during the reproductive stage of rice tends to have the worst impact), as well as in different soil types. Furthermore, any new drought-tolerant variety needs to perform well in nondrought conditions too.

This project has support from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries and is a joint effort among the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), which has provided funding; RIKEN, a large public research organization in Japan; and CIAT, which is helping with testing.

Promising GM breeding lines with improved drought tolerance have already been developed. Some of these lines include extra rice genes and some have genes from a tiny plant called Arabidopsis. Over the past few years, the performance of these lines has been tested in drought conditions using screenhouses. In 2011 and 2012, it was time to move the testing outdoors and IRRI and CIAT completed confined field tests of the lines at rainfed lowland sites in the Philippines and upland sites in Colombia, respectively.

Dr. Slamet-Loedin says that to get a rice variety that tolerates drought

Institutional Biosafety Committee at IRRI

An Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is responsible for ensuring that IRRI complies with local and international regulations and guidelines in the conduct of its experiments

that involve GM crops or other products. In the Philippines, where IRRI undertakes research on GM rice, the composition and responsibilities of the IBC are determined by the Biosafety Committee of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-BC).

IRRI’s IBC is composed of three IRRI scientists, two scientists from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and four representatives from the local Los Baños and Bay communities around IRRI headquarters. It works under the Philippine regulatory framework, which was first established in 1990. DOST-BC oversees IRRI’s IBC and, through the IBC, all research on GM rice at IRRI. No GM organisms can be used in IRRI’s research without prior authorization from DOST-BC.

“We must assure that research on GM rice is both safe and effective, and that is possible only through a team of dedicated, independent people who are able to assess the environmental, health, and social implications of the science, and enforce biosafety measures that prevent the unintentional release of GM material,” says Dr. Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton, head of IRRI’s IBC.

“The Philippines was the first country in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region to introduce a biosafety regulatory system, and it remains one of the most robust anywhere, and one of the very few with broad representation that includes civil society,” he added.

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Drought-hardy rice Dr. Slamet-Loedin is also leading IRRI’s efforts to identify useful drought-tolerance genes that could lead to the development of either GM or non-GM drought-tolerant rice varieties (see Overcoming the toughest stress in rice: drought on pages 30-32 of Rice Today Vol. 8, No. 3). This is more challenging than nutrient-enriched rice because drought itself is complex as well as the way it affects rice crops. For example, any new variety must be tested in drought conditions of

Genetic ModiFicAtion helps identify genes that could build drought tolerance—although the final rice variety does not have to be genetically modified.

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16 Rice Today January-March 2013

at different stages during its life cycle as well as different types of drought, “stacking” all the genes for drought tolerance into a single variety could get the best results.

Building expertise on GM riceThe intention of IRRI’s current research on GM rice is that, one day, new GM lines will be passed on to researchers in national agencies for further development and, if approved, eventually to farmers and consumers.

Alongside the development of this research goes training in biotechnology and genetic modification techniques for rice scientists. This gives them specialized skills to conduct biotechnology research and to build up their expertise and understanding of the area, so that they can respond research opportunities back in their home countries and institutes, and meet their own local needs.

In September 2012, IRRI ran the “Advanced Indica Rice Transformation Course”—the first time ever that the Institute provided training on the genetic modification of rice. Indica rice—the rice most widely produced in South and Southeast Asia—is a broad group of many different types of rice that are usually grown in hot climates.

Nine public- and private-sector participants attended the training from China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and the U.S. They got hands-on experience and learned about biosafety issues and international guidelines for biosafety management in research.

Says one of the trainees, Ms. Ritushree Jain, an Indian national who is doing her PhD at the University of Leeds in the UK, “After this training, I hope that I will be able to make a construct and put

some genes into rice plants and especially in indica varieties, which are more susceptible to drought and nematodes. A lot of rice cultivation is affected by drought stress and nematode infestation and these are big problems.

“My hope is that I will be able to find some genes to integrate into Indian rice varieties and develop something new that will help,” she adds.

Mr. Barclay served as a science writer at Green Ink (www.greenink.co.uk)when he wrote this article. He is now a communications manager at CRC CARE. Ms. Clayton is the public relations manager at IRRI.

For a related podcast on IRRI Radio associated with this article, go to https://soundcloud.com/irri-radio.

“My hope is that I will be able to find some genes to integrate

into Indian rice varieties and develop something new that

will help.”Ms. Ritushree Jain,

biotechnology trainee

GM rice is not yet available to eat but one aim of research on GM rice at irri is to improve the nutritional value of rice for consumers in the future.

trAininG pArticipAntS from around the world learn how to use biotechnology and to genetically modify rice at irri.

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46 Rice Today July-September 2011

In 2010, the number of hungry people surpassed 1 billion worldwide because of increases in

food prices. Unbeknownst to many, more than 2 billion people are suffering from ‘‘hidden hunger,’’ a term used to describe micronutrient malnutrition. Anemia affects more than 2 billion people globally, with women and children most at risk. Deficiency in dietary iron is a main cause of anemia. It is the most common and widespread nutrition problem, together with deficiency in zinc, iodine, and vitamin A.

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia cause a range of health problems in humans, including increased chances of maternal and child mortality and negative consequences on cognitive and physical development of children. They also affect an individual’s physical performance, especially the work productivity of adults.

Combating micronutrient malnutrition is considered to be among the best investments that generate a high return in socioeconomic benefits according to the 2008 Copenhagen Consensus. The Consensus listed biofortification, a method of breeding crops in order to increase their nutritional value, as one of its top five investments to address global challenges.

In developing countries, rice, as a staple food, may still provide as much as 80% of the daily calorie intake. Unfortunately, polished white rice contains low amounts of iron. A study of the iron content of polished rice marketed in a number of rice mills in the Philippines and Vietnam showed that popular varieties such as IR64, Sinandomeng, Intan, and Jasmine 85 generally contain 2–3 milligrams of

iron per kilogram (ppm) of rice, and a maximum of 4–5 ppm in a few rice mills in Vietnam. Similar studies in the U.S. and Brazil have verified the very low iron in white rice.

Breeders at the International Rice Research Institute screened thousands of rice seeds from the International Rice Genebank (a seed bank) and from breeding lines and varieties for the iron content in the polished rice. They identified a few potential breeding materials with 5–8 ppm iron. Biofortified crops need to contribute at least 30% of the estimated average requirements for them to be meaningful to a target population group. The HarvestPlus Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research has set a minimum of 14 ppm iron in polished rice to benefit women and children.

Now, the next question is, how to fill the gap.

In addition to more breeding, one option is to use modern biotechnology to introduce other genes to increase the uptake and storage of iron in the rice endosperm (white rice when polished). In earlier work, it has been established that the iron in rice is highly bioavailable (can be absorbed and used by the human body) and additional iron should also

be bioavailable. One preferred biotechnology approach uses the gene from soybean for the protein ferritin. Ferritin is an iron-storage protein that can hold up to 4,500 atoms of iron per molecule in its central cavity. A study with humans with ferritin purified from soybean has shown that the iron from this source is one of the most bioavailable forms known. Several studies have reported that this ferritin approach can increase the iron content to 8–10 ppm, but not yet to 14 ppm.

Recently, some studies have shown that modifying the iron transporter nicotianamine in rice can be effective in increasing iron concentrations in the grain. This approach uses a number of rice genes for nicotianamine synthase to boost the overall levels of the transporter and thereby increase the movement of iron into the grain. The incorporation of the two approaches, soybean ferritin and rice nicotianamine synthase, together in popular varieties is now being advanced to determine whether the combination will lead to achieving the very important goal of rice with higher iron.

Biofortification can serve as an important sustainable tool in combination with existing ways of overcoming iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia; these existing approaches include a diverse diet, fortification, and supplements. The main advantages of developing varieties with high iron content are that this is a food-based approach and delivering the solution in such a widely consumed crop could contribute to a large effect.

Dr. Slamet-Loedin is a senior scientist in IRRI’s Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division.

by Inez H. Slamet-loedIn

“Iron-clad” ricegrain of truth

Iron-enrIched rice will soon contribute to reducing "hidden hunger."

Kurniawan rudi TrijaTmiKo

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14 Rice Today October-December 2011 15Rice Today October-December 2011

Emma is a 38-year-old mother of eight from the Philippines. She earns a living as a cleaning lady, and putting food on the table is

a challenge that she and her husband face each day.

For Emma and many other families in Asia, rice is the staple food, which eats up the family’s meager budget. “We depend on rice every day, because it is filling,” she said. “Most of the time, however, we cannot afford fish, meat, or vegetables. We only sprinkle salt or soy sauce to add some flavor or sometimes prepare rice as porridge.

“I know this lacks the important nutrients that will help make my children grow healthy, but what can I do? We have to fill our stomachs first,” Emma laments.

Families around the world, like Emma’s, consume only nutrient-poor staple foods because other nutritious food such as meat products, vegetables, and fruits are scarce, unavailable, or too expensive. This contributes to hidden hunger—malnutrition from micronutrients. With the ballooning world population, “hidden hunger” will also likely rise.

Lack of sufficient vitamin A in the diet reduces the body’s ability to fight infections such as diarrhea and measles. It can also cause blindness and increases the risk of death. Vitamin A is particularly important for children as well as pregnant and lactating women as their nutrient needs are increased.

Asia has one of the highest prevalences of vitamin A deficiency in the world. It is considered a public health problem in many Asian countries with 33.5% of preschool children afflicted. In 2009, the World Health Organization reported that more than 90 million children in Southeast Asia suffered from it, more than in any other region. Each year, it is estimated that 670,000 children under the age of five die because they are vitamin A-deficient, and another 350,000 go blind.

The Philippines’ Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) reported that, in 2003, vitamin A deficiency afflicted 40.1% of Filipino children, 15.5% of pregnant women, and 20.1% of lactating women, making it a serious public health concern.

by Ma. Aileen Garcia

To address the vitamin A deficiency problem in the Philippines, the government, together with nongovernment organizations and the private sector, has been implementing far-reaching programs such as the distribution of vitamin A capsules. Sangkap Pinoy, a food fortification program, was also established to ensure that food products such as noodles are fortified with vitamin A along with other micronutrients.

Owing in part to these programs, recent data indicate that the population’s vitamin A status has improved. The National Nutrition Survey conducted by FNRI in 2008 showed a decreasing trend in vitamin A deficiency among children aged 6 to 59 months (15.2%), pregnant women (9.5%), and lactating women (6.4%).

Despite these positive developments, however, vitamin A deficiency remains a significant public health problem in many less developed countries according to Nancy Haselow, vice president and regional director of Helen Keller International (HKI). HKI has been advocating the elimination of vitamin A deficiency for more than 40 years, working with governments and other partners to reach those most in need through various interventions.

She said, “The most vulnerable children and women in hard-to-reach areas are often missed by existing interventions that can improve vitamin A status, including vitamin A supplementation, food fortification, dietary diversification, and promotion of optimal breastfeeding.”

Also, interventions such as vitamin A supplementation are sustainable only as long as there is funding and political will to continue. What if support for these programs halts?

A free-market driven, food-based effort with wide coverage that reaches poor areas could be more sustainable toward controlling vitamin A deficiency in the future, thus preventing blindness and earlier death. What could help fill the basket of options to tackle vitamin A deficiency?

A golden advantageGolden Rice may be part of the answer.

Golden Rice is unique because it contains beta carotene, which gives it a golden color. The body converts beta carotene to vitamin A as it is needed. According to research published in 2009, daily consumption of a very modest amount of Golden Rice―about a cup―could supply 50% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A for an adult.1

Through genetic modification, Golden Rice contains genes from maize and from a common soil microorganism that produce beta carotene in the grains. It was first developed by Prof. Ingo Potrykus, then of the Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Prof. Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg, Germany.

By 1999, Prof. Potrykus and Dr. Beyer had produced a prototype Golden Rice and published their landmark research in Science. Since 2000, scientific research and international collaboration on Golden Rice have been supported by funding and in-kind support from the private, public, and philanthropic sectors. In 2005, a major breakthrough led to the development of a new Golden Rice that now produces more beta carotene. This became the foundation of the current efforts.

The beauty of Golden Rice lies in its potential to reach many people—who may not have regular access to other sources of vitamin A—because rice is widely produced and consumed. Rice is eaten and grown in more than 100 countries, including the Philippines, and is the staple food for more than 3 billion people. Rice provides 50–80% of the total caloric intake of most Asians, who are most affected by vitamin A deficiency.

“Since a large proportion of vitamin A–deficient children and their mothers reside in rice-consuming populations, particularly in Asia, Golden Rice should substantially reduce the prevalence and severity of vitamin A deficiency, and prevent at least hundreds

1 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

GoldEn Grainsfor better nutrition

Golden Rice is unique because it contains beta carotene, which gives it a golden color.

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of thousands of unnecessary deaths and cases of blindness every year,” said Alfred Sommer, professor and dean emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Sommer, an internationally acclaimed public health scientist, has been at the forefront of vitamin A deficiency research, leading major studies that were fundamental to the current understanding of the effect of vitamin A supplementation on mortality, malnutrition, and blindness.

If proven effective in improving vitamin A status, Golden Rice could be used in combination with existing approaches, including education, supplementation, and fortification programs, to overcome vitamin A deficiency. Golden Rice could become part of the long-sought solution, which farmers themselves can harvest from their own fields, year after year.

The Golden Rice projectMajor nutrition and agricultural research organizations are now working together to further develop and evaluate Golden Rice as a potential way to reduce vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines and Bangladesh, among other countries.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) leads the Golden Rice project and is directly involved in several agriculture-related aspects of the project, including initial breeding

grain and eating qualities while helping to tackle the pervasive problem of vitamin A deficiency in the Philippines,” said Dr. Antonio Alfonso, chief science specialist and Golden Rice team leader at PhilRice.

Safety firstLike other genetically modified crops, Golden Rice will be made available to farmers and consumers only after it has been approved by national regulatory bodies.

To help establish the safety of Golden Rice in the environment, field trials and other evaluations will be conducted in both the Philippines and Bangladesh. Field trials are important, too, to show that Golden Rice grows the same as other rice in local conditions. Furthermore, these trials will inform the national regulators about the safety of Golden Rice, just like in the regulatory framework of Bangladesh.

Golden Rice will be assessed according to internationally accepted guidelines for the safe use of modern biotechnology, such as the Codex Alimentarius of the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, OECD Consensus Guidelines, and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Philippine safety regulations contained in Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No.

Golden Rice for Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, one in every five children aged 6 months to 5 years is estimated to be vitamin A-deficient. Among pregnant women, 23.7% had low serum retinol levels, indicating vitamin A deficiency.

As in the Philippines, rice is an indispensable part of the Bangladeshi diet, providing an average of more than 70% of calories every day. Unfortunately, most of the time, rice is all some Bangladeshis can afford to eat. Although rice fills their stomachs, it doesn’t provide a source of healthy micronutrients such as vitamin A.

Dr. Alamgir Hossain, who is leading the Golden Rice work for BRRI, said that he has been working with the inventors of Golden Rice as well as with IRRI scientists for years. “Our work focuses on putting the Golden Rice trait into the best all-around varieties, such as BRRI dhan29, the most popular rice variety in Bangladesh.

“As we do in all our work on rice, we will be looking at the performance of the Golden Rice version of BRRI dhan29 over many generations, across different regions of Bangladesh, and in different seasons.

“We want to be sure that Golden Rice grows just as well as the original, so farmers won’t have to give up higher yield, or pest resistance, or other attributes in order to help those most in need of a potentially healthy and filling meal,” he concluded.

work to insert the new Golden Rice trait into rice varieties that were selected by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). This involves laboratory work, greenhouse tests, and some preliminary field evaluation. Potential Golden Rice varieties are then transferred to national rice institutes for further development and assessment.

“Golden Rice is an incredible innovation that we are proud to be working on,” said IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler. “It has a huge potential to help reduce the devastating consequences of vitamin A deficiency in rice-growing and rice-consuming countries.”

In the Philippines, PhilRice is at the forefront of developing new Golden Rice varieties that are suited to specific rice-growing conditions in the country. One popular rice variety being developed by PhilRice to have a Golden Rice counterpart is PSB Rc82, more commonly known in the market as Peñaranda. PhilRice has just recently conducted a confined field test, to be followed by multilocation field trials for several seasons, in accordance with regulatory requirements.

“We are conducting our breeding carefully to make sure that the new Golden Rice variety retains the same high yield, pest resistance, and excellent

8, Series of 2002, are based on these international guidelines.

PhilRice and BRRI will submit all safety information to their respective national government regulators, which may be as early as 2013 in the Philippines and later in Bangladesh. Regulators will review these data as part of the approval process for Golden Rice before it can be released to farmers and consumers.

Can Golden Rice make a difference?Dr. Gerard Barry, Golden Rice network coordinator and IRRI’s Golden Rice project leader, shared that his team has been working on Golden Rice since 2006 to develop a safe and effective way to deal with vitamin A deficiency, prevent blindness, and save lives.

“Our latest stage of work is now supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,ˮ he said. “Helen Keller International, a leading nutrition organization, will also be involved to assess the efficacy of Golden Rice.ˮ If the safety of Golden Rice is confirmed, HKI, with university partners, will conduct some studies to see whether Golden Rice could help improve vitamin A status among deficient populations.

PhilRice and BRRI are breeding the Golden Rice trait into other rice varieties that are locally adapted and popular with farmers, matching their yields and other performance factors. Golden Rice seeds and grains will be available in the market and are expected to cost farmers and consumers the same as other rice. Cooking and taste tests will likewise help make sure these qualities of Golden Rice meet consumers’ needs. The experience gained in developing, evaluating, and planning the delivery of Golden Rice in the Philippines and Bangladesh will be

important in designing plans for Golden Rice in other countries, too.

Golden Rice offers a bright prospect for nutritionally enhanced crops to deliver on the promise of better nutrition. It could give Emma another nutritious food to rely on and a chance for her children and grandchildren to be healthier.

With Emma and those like her serving as an inspiration, the Golden Rice project partners continue to work to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Golden Rice in the Philippines as another potential approach to fighting vitamin A deficiency.

emma's son sprinkles salt on his rice to add a little flavor.

PaRmindeR ViRk, iRRi senior scientist; alamgir Hossain, BRRi principal plant breeder; and antonio alfonso, PhilRice plant breeder and Golden Rice project leader (at left, from left to right).

emma looks forward to the day when she can serve more nutritious rice to her children (top).

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Severity of vitamin A deficiency in Asia

Source: Global Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in Population at Risk 1995–2005: WHO Global Database on Vitamin A Deficiency (www.who.int/vmnis/en/)1 Severity cutoffs based on serum or plasma retinol <0.70 mmol/L in preschool-age children

(mild: >2–<10%; moderate: >10–20%; severe: >20%.

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10 Rice Today October-December 2013

It all started in 1984 in Los Baños, Laguna, in the Philippines. Scientists had begun to develop an exciting new approach to breeding

crops—genetic engineering—and everyone wondered how it could be used to help the world.

In a house in this college town sat several breeders who were dreaming of what traits they could come up with using this exciting new technology. Increase yields? Develop crops to survive droughts? Protect rice against pests?

One breeder, who developed many of the Green Revolution crops that had saved hundreds of millions from famine, gave a startling answer: yellow rice. Why? Because, he said, vitamin A deficiency afflicts millions of people around the world.1

Finding answers to global malnutritionHow bad is vitamin A deficiency? In 2005, for example, the devastating effects of lacking this one vitamin affected 190 million preschool children and 19 million pregnant

women in 122 countries. Each year, it is responsible for up to 2 million deaths and 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness.

Rice could substantially reduce the devastating impact of vitamin A deficiency because in many developing countries—the Philippines among them—the poorest families lack the means to buy the vegetables and fruits that contain this crucial nutrient. They can afford nothing more than plain white rice.

There is only one problem. Rice is not usually a source of vitamin A. While many fruits and vegetables have the genes to make this vitamin, neither rice nor any of its close wild relatives have these genes. Traditional breeding in rice is useless in the fight against this deadly vitamin deficiency. It would take genetic engineering to help solve the problem of making rice produce its own source of vitamin A.

Golden Rice, from dream to realityToday, we are there. The dream of yellow rice—now dubbed Golden

Rice—has gone from a rice breeder’s dream to actual rice plants that can be grown in fields.

Golden rice promises to help reduce the deaths and blindness that come with not getting enough vitamin A in poor communities around the world. As we try to improve the nutrition of poor families across the country, Golden Rice can help alleviate the health scourge of vitamin A deficiency. Studies have shown that one cup of Golden Rice could provide around 50% of the recommended vitamin A that an adult needs for a day.

We are there—that is, if we are not misguided enough to turn our backs on this important technology.

Recently, activists stormed a research field in Bicol on southern Luzon island in the Philippines and destroyed one of several field trials of Golden Rice, potentially setting back the delivery of this humanitarian crop. It was a criminal act against a project whose only goal is to help elevate the health of the world’s poorest people.

Debunking Golden Rice myths:

a geneticist’s perspective

A leading authority on plant evolutionary and ecological genomics confronts the misconceptions about Golden Rice with cold, hard facts

by Michael Purugganan

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1 That person was Peter Jennings, the first breeder at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). In an IRRI Pioneer Interview, Gary Toenniessen, a managing director of The Rockefeller Foundation and long-time IRRI collaborator, recalls this discussion among the breeders. Go to http://youtu.be/a7bGykLVm2E.

11Rice Today October-December 2013

Many misconceptions exist about Golden Rice—too many to list them all here. But, as a plant scientist who works on rice, although not genetically modified rice, let me talk about three of them.

Myth 1: Golden Rice is “unnatural”First is the notion that Golden Rice is some sort of unnatural, monster rice.

The truth is, in developing Golden Rice, geneticists have inserted only three genes into rice DNA to allow it to make beta carotene, which is a source of vitamin A. Three genes out of the more than 30,000 genes present in a rice plant. And, the genes they inserted to make the vitamin are not some weird manufactured material but are also found in squash, carrots, and melons.

So, there is nothing unnatural about the process—scientists just figured out how to take a gene from one species and add it to another’s DNA. Plants do this in the wild all the time. It is called horizontal gene transfer, and plants, animals, and bacteria have been shown to acquire many genes from each other as they evolve.

Breeders actually do much more radical things to the rice genome and the rice plant by traditional breeding methods, and with much less information about what exactly they are doing to the rice plant’s genes. We know a great deal more about the genes that were inserted

into the Golden Rice by geneticists—what they do, how they act—than we know about thousands of genes and millions of mutations in rice.

Myth 2: GMOs are unsafe and riskySecond is the idea that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are unsafe, cause cancer or other major health risks, or pose serious environmental problems.

Let me be clear here—the safety issue has been studied and discussed by scientists around the world, and they concluded that there is no evidence that GMOs are inherently unsafe. Let me repeat again. The most prominent scientific bodies in the world—among them, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, and the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology—have publicly concluded that GMOs are safe.

Now, it is true that we still have to test the safety of every new genetically modified plant variety that is developed—that is just common sense. In fact, GMOs are probably the most intensely tested and studied crop varieties in the world. Much more so than the seeds you buy from your local garden or farm store, which are released with no health or safety analysis.

But, you ask, haven’t I read stories about scientists that have supposedly linked health problems—even cancer—to eating GMO foods? Well, the overwhelming majority of reputable scientists who have examined these claims have shown that such conclusions are simply wrong. These stories are based on research that was poorly designed and analyzed, and other scientists have strongly criticized these studies.

Myth 3: Golden Rice is a big businessFinally, there is the idea that Golden Rice is being developed to be sold by big biotechnology companies to profit from poor famers.

Again, let us be clear here: Golden Rice is a public project. While the company Syngenta helped

develop Golden Rice, they have given it to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for free—no costs, no fees, no royalties.

Golden Rice is now being bred by IRRI, in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute, and other public breeders around the world. The varieties that are developed will be turned over to government agricultural agencies in developing countries, which will then determine how to distribute them to farmers.

IRRI is not selling Golden Rice, and no big biotech company will make money out of it.

Critical juncture for the PhilippinesOur country, and the world, is now at a critical point. The population of the planet will hit 9 billion people by 2050. The Philippines already has more than 100 million people. In the face of the decreasing land for farming, a growing population, and increasingly erratic climates, we need to use every tool we have, including agricultural biotechnology, to help our farmers and our people to survive and thrive.

Our scientists have helped develop Golden Rice varieties, as well as other genetically engineered crops, to increase our food security. Let us not turn our backs on this technology for the 21st century, and find ourselves once again at a technological and economic disadvantage.

Nearly 30 years ago, some of the best rice breeders in the world gathered in Los Baños and discussed harnessing biotechnology to help feed the world. What they dreamed up is now poised to become a reality that will help farmers produce more nutritious rice that can save lives.

Let us make sure that those who need it most can, for once, put gold on their plates.

Dr. Purugganan is a Dorothy Schiff Professor of Genomics and Dean of Science at New York University.

This edited version of the article is reprinted with permission from GMA News Online and the author.

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16 Rice Today October-December 2013

What’s cooking?

Ingredients for the gochujang sauce 90 g gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) 60 g Korean red chili pepper powder 50 g sugar 20 g minced garlic50 mL rice syrup 20 mL soy sauce

 Ingredients for the broth 800 mL water 2 slices radish1 piece white or light green part of a leek, sliced 7–8 pieces dried anchovies3 pieces fish cakes  1 piece dried kelp

by Jeehyoung Shim-Chin

Other ingredients400 g sliced garaetteok (5 cm in length)70 g sliced cabbage50 g sliced leek (green part)A pinch of toasted sesame seedsSliced boiled eggs or fried dumpling (optional)

Directions1. Mix all ingredients for the gochujang

sauce in a container. Set aside.2. Put all the ingredients for the broth,

except the fish cakes, into a sauce pan and allow the mixture to boil.

3. When the broth starts boiling, add the fish cakes and boil the broth until it thickens and its color becomes opaque white.

4. Remove the fish cakes and the rest of the ingredients to make a clear broth. Slice

Tteokbokki is a popular Korean snack food,

especially among students. It is served in many small eateries and restaurants located near schools and universities.

Basically, it is made of garaetteok, a chewy, cylinder-shaped white rice cake, and is cooked in spicy gochujang sauce, a Korean fermented red chili pepper paste. It is available in several variations such as tteokbokki with noodles, tteokbokki with fish cakes, and tteokbokki with seafood, among others.

Its other ingredients, which include eggs and vegetables, make it a healthier option than regular meals and other snack foods. Tteokbokki: Korean rice

cake in spicy sauce

the fish cakes into 5-cm squares. Set aside.

5. Stir in the previously prepared gochujang sauce in the broth.

6. Add the sliced garaetteok and simmer until the garaetteok becomes soft, and the sauce becomes thick. (Stir constantly so that the rice cakes won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.)

7. Add the sliced fish cakes, leeks, and cabbage and gently mix them with the sauce.

8. Remove from heat. Serve immediately and garnish by sprinkling toasted sesame seeds on top.

This dish can be served with sliced boiled eggs or fried dumplings.

Jeehyoung left her job as a preschool teacher in Korea and moved to the Philippines in 2006 to join her husband, Joong Hyoun Chin, who works as a molecular breeder at IRRI. Aside from cooking for her family and friends, she spends some of her time painting and playing string instruments with her children.

Watch Jeehyoung demonstrate how to prepare this delicious Korean dish in an 8-minute video on YouTube at http://sn.im/tteokbokki.

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38 Rice Today October-December 2012

What’s cooking?

Watch Sue and Dtae demonstrate how to prepare this appetizing Laotian dish in a 6-minute video on YouTube

at http://snipurl.com/lao-sticky-rice.

Sue lived in Lao PDR for 4 years before moving to the Philippines in 2011 with her husband, IRRI experiment station head Leigh Vial. She met Dtae at the Wildlife Conservation Society in Lao PDR, where they both worked on tiger conservation. During social gatherings, which often revolved around food, Sue found Laotian dishes delicious and seriously addictive. Dtae is now studying for her master's degree at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Sue and Dtae, together with some Lao students, regularly meet to cook, chat, laugh, and enjoy Lao food.

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Steamed sticky rice is an essential part of every meal in Lao PDR. In most cases,

it is preferred to regular steamed rice. True to its name, steamed sticky rice sticks together in one big heap.

In Lao PDR, the best way to eat sticky rice and eggplant dip is with your hands. And, this is how it is done: simply tear a bite size of rice from the sticky rice heap, roll it into a small ball, and enjoy with grilled eggplant dip or any Lao dish of your choice.

Khao niao (Steamed sticky rice)

Ingredients1 kg sticky rice3 liters water (for soaking)

DirectionsRinse the sticky rice under running water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in the water for 2–3 hours. Soaking the rice will reduce the cooking time, so soak for as long as possible.

Once soaked, drain the rice, removing all excess water, then place the sticky rice into a steaming basket and begin to steam. After about 30 minutes, turn the rice over and further steam for 10–15 minutes until cooked.

Set aside.

Jeow mak keua (Grilled eggplant dip)

Ingredients500 grams Japanese eggplant6 pieces shallots10 cloves garlic

Laotian steamed sticky rice with eggplant dipby Sue Pretty and Sysomphane Sengthavideth

10 pieces chilies4 tbsp fish sauce1 tsp lime juiceA handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped Salt to taste

DirectionsGrill the eggplants, chillies, shallots, and garlic until the skins are charred. Remove from the grill and cool. Then peel the eggplants, shallots, and garlic and chop coarsely.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the chilies and salt. Add the shallots and garlic and continue to pound until all the ingredients are crushed.

Next, add the eggplants, lime juice, and fish sauce and pound again until the ingredients are well combined. Lastly, mix in the coriander leaves. Serve with the steamed sticky rice.

Tip: Do not use water when peeling the skin of the eggplants—they will become soggy and will also lose their incredible smoky flavor.

Serves 3–6.

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