In the assessment of the biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops, a comparative approach to identifying similarities and differences between transgenic and non-transgenic crops is helpful in identifying potential safety and nutritional issues. In...
In the assessment of the biosafety of genetically modified (GM) crops, a comparative approach to identifying similarities and differences between transgenic and non-transgenic crops is helpful in identifying potential safety and nutritional issues. In this study, we aimed to compare the nutritional composition of a protopanaxadiol-enhanced genetically modified rice (PPD GM rice) with its non-transgenic counterpart. The nutritional profile of PPD GM rice was assessed against that of the parental rice cultivar ‘Dongjin’ to ascertain nutritional equivalence. No differences were observed between PPD GM and Non-GM rice cultivar in proximate analysis, mineral content, and amino acid composition. Although significant differences were observed in crude fat, crude protein, total dietary fiber, and some minerals between PPD GM rice and Dongjin, these variances fell within the range suggested by common cultivars (Anmi and Nipponbare) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data. Similarly, while some amino acids showed significant differences, these metabolites did not deviate from the OECD range. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using the nutritional analysis data of PPD GM rice and Dongjin. The results revealed that PPD GM rice and Dongjin were grouped according to their respective cultivation years.
This suggests that the variability in the nutritional composition of PPD GM rice tends to resemble that of the parental rice cultivar ‘Dongjin’ rather than being solely attributed to genetic modification. Overall, our findings indicate that the nutritional composition of PPD GM rice is substantially equivalent to that of its non-transgenic counterpart.