Scientists at the Philippines’ International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have created a new variety of rice that can reduce the growing burden of diabetes.
New anti-diabetes rice variety unveiled (Photo: irri.org)
Hanoi (VNA) – Sci൩entists at the Philippines’ Internatꦯional Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have created a new variety of rice that can reduce the growing burden of diabetes.
More than 537 million adults worldwide are living with the chronic disease – a number that is expected to grow to 783 million by 2045. More than 60% of people with diabetes live in Asia.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that develops when a person’s body doesn’t produce or effectively use insulin, which it needs to turn sugar into energy. There are essentially two types of diabetes. Type 1 is an auto-immune condition that is not preventable. Those sufferers must take insulin daily.
However, Type 2 diabetes can be combatted to some extent by changes in lifestyle and eating, sometimes preventing the need for diabetes medication. People with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes can benefit from a diet of food low on the glycemic index (GI).
GI measures how fast a food item raises blood sugar levels and contributes to diabetes. According to Diabetes Canada, GI is a scale from 1-100 that ranks a carbohydrate-containing food or drink by how much it raises blood sugar levels after it is consumed. Foods with a high GI (70 or more) increase blood sugar higher and faster than foods with a low GI (55 or less). Most available rice varieties have GI levels between 70 and 72. White rice is notable for having a high glycemic count.
The good news is that the IRRI has developed a rice variety that has a GI as low as 25. Also high in protein, the new rice variety looks like white rice but has smaller grains.
The IRRI researchers have been working with the University of California, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Germany, and Bulgaria’s Centre of Plant Systems Biology, reports the Guardian.
Using the IRRI’s extensive rice gene bank, the world’s largest, researchers screened 380 seed samples over 10 years to identify genes with a lower glycemic index and higher protein content. Then they combined them, creating a diabetes-friendly, healthier rice option.
The rice has yet to be grown outside IRRI’s laboratories, but the IRRI plan is to start growing the new varieties in India and the Philippines as part of the IRRI’s aim to combat hunger in countries where rice is the staple food, reports Philippines-based website wionnews.com.
The IRRI project is currently undergoing multi-location trials in over 10 Philippines provinces. It is hoping the new rice variety will be ready for market within two years./.
Rice imports to the Philippines amounted to 2.8 million metric tonnes (MT) during the first eight months of this year, 19% higher than the 2.3 million MT in the same period last year, data from the country's Department of Agriculture (DA) showed.
Rice exporters of Vietnam and Thailand are competing to gain a larger market share in the Philippines, reported Nikkei Asia in an article published on August 2.
The Philippines, one of the world's largest rice buyers and biggest importers of the Vietnamese grain, officially announced a reduction in rice import taxes from 35% to 15%, effective in early August this year and lasting until 2028.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
