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Special supplement for Philippine Society of Nutritionist-Dietitians (PSND), Inc. Annual Convention
Selected features
on rice and nutrition
Nourishing
a nation
by Alaric Francis Santiaguel
www.irri.org
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mong the over 120,000 types of rice in the International GeneBank housed
at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baos, 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 years convention of the Philippine Society of NutritionistDieticians, 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 worlds 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 worlds populationover 3.5
billion people and counting.
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isagani serrano
Balancing rice
The state of food and agriculture 2013: Food systems for better nutrition (www.fao.org).
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Old-school nutrition
lanie reyes
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
http://opinion.inquirer.net/32743/win-win-with-brown-rice.
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by Gladys Ebron
Eating smart
irri
In search of the
perfect grain
Uncompromised quality
The idenTificaTion of
important genetic information
on what makes rice chalky
could lead to chalk-free rice
varieties in the future.
Chalkiness
Aroma
Sensory evaluation
M. saucelo
Texture
Taste
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Throwing it away
irri
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.
throw away
by Aileen Macalintal
Chain of waste
chris quintana
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.
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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 doesnt rain,
carry water from the river. The plants will grow lush and
green and will give you more grainsplenty 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, Ricea 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.
Rice Today January-March 2013
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A consumers
guide
to rice
Grain shape
Rice grains can be round to long,
straight, or curved. They can be short,
medium, and long. A simple way to
determine a rice varietys 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 grains
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 rice
Parboiling is a method of partially
cooking or gelatinizing the rice grain in
its hull. For millers, gelatinization helps
mend the grains 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.
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Milling quality
Rice quality also depends on milling.
The milling process involves more
than whitening or polishingthe
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-
Grain color
When 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 offflavor. 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 starch
Amylose 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
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Grain of truth
by Sarah Beebout
Arsenic
Cadmium
Mercury
Lead
Conclusion
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.
irri
Governments, individuals, and organizations, including IRRI, come together to secure the worlds food
in a frozen cellar located just over a thousand kilometers away from the North Pole
again
by Ma. Lizbeth J. Baroa
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Treasure on loan
www.croptrust.org
IRRI. 1998. Biodiversity: Maintaining the Balance (1997-1998). Manila (Philippines): IRRI. 60 p.
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Farmers have more access to good-quality seeds through community seed banks
Seeds of survival
On-farm conservation
government unit
even recognized and
supported it.
Amidst progress
ISaganI Serrano
by Lanie C. Reyes
seeds
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).
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Rao NK. 2004. Plant genetic resources: Advancing conservation and use through biotechnology. African Journal of Biotechnology 3(2):136-145.
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ISaganI Serrano
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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
araa, Dr. casiana Vera cruz of irri, and mr. enrique Layola of the
Department of agriculture.
A farmers choice
Confessions of a backslider
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treasure
by Alaric Francis Santiaguel
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Genetic reservoir
But 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 thats 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 IRRIs
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, highyielding rice varieties, which can be
planted and harvested twice a year,
Carling J. 2001. The Cordillera indigenous peoples, their environment and human rights. Paper presented at the Asia Society.
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.
Baguilat Jr., Teodoro. 2005. Conservation and land use: using indigenous management systems in Ifugao, Philippine Cordilleras. Paper presented at the Confrence Internationale
Biodiversit: science et gouvernance Atelier 13Diversit biologique, diversit culturelle: Enjeux autour des savoirs locaux.
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.
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irri
People often argue passionately for or against genetically modified (GM) crops. Rice Todays
aim here is not to take sides in a debate that has often generated more heat than light, but rather
to look at the factswhat is actually happening in relation to GM rice with a separate focus on
work underway at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
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Golden Rice
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).
isagani serrano
Turbocharged C4 rice
Iron-clad rice
IRRI senior scientist Dr. Inez SlametLoedin 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.
n 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).
IRRIs IBC is composed of three IRRI scientists, two scientists from the University
of the Philippines Los Baos, and four representatives from the local Los Baos and
Bay communities around IRRI headquarters. It works under the Philippine regulatory
framework, which was first established in 1990. DOST-BC oversees IRRIs IBC and, through
the IBC, all research on GM rice at IRRI. No GM organisms can be used in IRRIs 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 IRRIs 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.
Drought-hardy rice
isagani serrano
isagani serrano
grain of truth
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.
Iron-clad rice
by Inez
isagani serrano
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H. Slamet-loedIn
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GoldEn Grains
isagani serrano
A golden advantage
Golden 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 Riceabout a cup
could supply 50% of the Recommended
Daily Allowance of vitamin A for an
1
adult.
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 peoplewho
may not have regular access to other
sources of vitamin Abecause 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 5080% of
the total caloric intake of most Asians,
who are most affected by vitamin A
deficiency.
Since a large proportion of
vitamin Adeficient 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
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Jill Kuehnert
Source: Global Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in Population at Risk 19952005: 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: >1020%; severe: >20%.
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 doesnt 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 wont 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.
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.
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a geneticists perspective
by Michael Purugganan
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.
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Whats cooking?
Whats cooking?
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S
Tteokbokki: Korean rice
cake in spicy sauce
by Jeehyoung Shim-Chin
Other ingredients
400 g sliced garaetteok (5 cm in length)
70 g sliced cabbage
50 g sliced leek (green part)
A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Sliced boiled eggs or fried dumpling (optional)
Directions
1. 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
5.
6.
7.
8.
Watch Jeehyoung demonstrate how to prepare this delicious Korean dish in an 8-minute video on
YouTube at http://sn.im/tteokbokki.
Rice Today October-December 2013
Laotian steamed
sticky rice with
eggplant dip
teokbokki 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.
10 pieces chilies
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp lime juice
A handful of coriander leaves,
finely chopped
Salt to taste
Directions
Grill 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 eggplantsthey will become
soggy and will also lose their incredible
smoky flavor.
Serves 36.
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 Baos.
Sue and Dtae, together with some Lao students, regularly meet to cook, chat, laugh, and enjoy
Lao food.
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