Resuello Praises for Addressing Vitamin-A Deficiency

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BASISTA, Pangasinan – The constituents of mayor Jolly R. Resuello lauded him by making the landlocked town as pilot project of Malusog (Golden) Rice Seed and Grain Production.

 The project was initiated by Pangasinan 2^nd District Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco in partnership with PhilRice to address Vitamin-A deficiency of the Filipinos. The rice contains additional levels of beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A.

GOLDEN RICE is a new type of rice that contains beta carotene (provitamin A, a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A as needed). This compound is what gives this grain its yellow-orange or golden color (RRRI).

Golden Rice was developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Golden Rice, according to IRRI, is developed through genetic engineering. While ordinary rice does produce beta carotene, it is not found in the grain. Thus, scientists used genetic engineering to add the compound to the grain - a minor tweak that improved the grain’s nutritive value. The beta carotene in Golden Rice, which was made possible by the addition of two new enzymes, is identical to the beta-carotene found in green leafy and yellow-colored vegetables, orange-colored fruit, and even in many vitamin supplements and food ingredients.

Like ordinary rice, Golden Rice does not require any special cultivation practices, and generally has the same yield and agronomic performance.

While vitamin A can be obtained from food products and supplements, challenges regarding their availability, accessibility, and affordability make it difficult to address the problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). As rice is a staple food in many vitamin A-deficient communities in Asia, Golden Rice can be a significant help in improving these areas’ vitamin A status once the grain becomes available for public consumption.

“Thanks to the leadership of our esteemed Mayor Jolly R. Resuello, our town of Basista has been chosen as a pilot area for the Golden Rice Production project,” a post at Agriculture-Basista at Facebook said.