Vitamin B1 is an essential nutrient for cellular energy metabolism and is crucial for the normal functioning of the human body. However, the human body cannot synthesize vitamin B1 on its own and must obtain it from food. Due to the extremely low vitamin B1 content in white rice, especially in regions where rice is a staple food, vitamin B1 deficiency is a significant issue. As one of the world’s largest staple foods, enhancing the nutritional value of rice is vital for addressing this problem.

Genetic Engineering Breakthrough: Creating High-Vitamin B1 Rice

A research team led by Dr. Ming-Hsiun Hsieh at the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, has successfully developed genetically modified rice with enhanced vitamin B1 content using genetic engineering technology. The core of this technology involves inserting the vitamin B1 biosynthesis gene from Escherichia coli into the rice genome. By utilizing a rice endosperm-specific promoter to regulate gene expression, vitamin B1 is synthesized specifically in the rice endosperm. This breakthrough creates an additional pathway for vitamin B1 synthesis and significantly enhances the nutritional value of rice. Experimental results show that the vitamin B1 content in this genetically modified rice is increased by approximately 25-30%, a significant achievement that validates the success of the technology. Notably, preliminary field trials have shown that the agronomic traits and yield performance of this genetically modified rice are not significantly different from those of non-genetically modified rice, proving that the technology improves the nutritional value of rice without negatively affecting its growth.

Research Team: Hope for Changing the World

Dr. Hsieh stated that this research represents not only a technological breakthrough but also the team's contribution to global nutritional improvement. Particularly in developing countries, vitamin B1 deficiency has caused numerous health problems, prompting the team to develop nutrient-enriched rice that can be promoted globally.

He further explained that this technology can significantly increase the nutritional value of white rice, has stable agronomic traits, and offers great economic potential for farmers. Dr. Hsieh also revealed that the team is conducting field trials and plans to carry out additional tests and patent applications within the next two to three years. They are actively seeking collaborations with international agricultural biotechnology companies. The promotion of this technology will have a profound impact on improving the nutritional status of populations in developing countries, helping to solve health issues caused by vitamin B1 deficiency.

Resource: 吃米也能促進能量代謝 基改水稻維生素B1含量提升3成！