Compositional comparative analysis between insect-resistant rice (Oryza sativa L.) with a synthetic cry1Ac gene and its non-transgenic counterpart

Composition analysis of genetically modified crops is an important consideration in the assessment of food safety. Agb0101 (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nakdongbyeo) developed in Korea is a form of insect-resistant rice that contains a synthetic truncated cry1Ac gene isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and demonstrates high resistance to rice leaf folder under field conditions. Nutrients, anti-nutritive components, and secondary metabolites of Agb0101 were analyzed and compared with those of its non-transgenic counterpart. The amounts of proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and ferulic acid in brown rice from Agb0101 were comparable to those of its non-transgenic counterpart. Statistical comparisons to test for equivalence showed that all the analyzed components in the insect-resistant rice plants were substantially equivalent to those of its non-transgenic counterpart. Furthermore, most of the measured values from Agb0101 were within the range of values reported for other commercial rice varieties.