In order to assess the substantial equivalence of two varieties of genetically modified rice, herbicide-tolerant Ab rice and the insect-resistant Bt rice, to the non-GM Dongjin-byeo cultivar. We analyzed the compositions and contents of the proximate, amino acids, minerals, fatty acids, vitamins, and anti-nutrients in their unpolished grains using t-test (p<0.05). A comparison of fatty acids compositions showed that the levels of stearic acid and arachidonic acid in Ab rice and those of myristic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and gadoleic acid in Bt rice were different significantly from the corresponding levels in Dongjin-byeo. Vitamin content did not differ between Bt and Dongjin-byeo, but the content of vitamins B1, B7, and E in Ab rice differed from that in Dongjin-byeo. Iron content in Ab and Bt rice was 2 times higher than that in Dongjin-byeo, although it was within the reference range set by Codex. The amount of the anti-nutrient trypsin inhibitor was 0.1 TIU/mg in the unpolished grain of all three rice varieties examined. Of the 47 components analyzed, 17 were significantly different among the three rice varieties; however, most of these differences were within the Codex reference range for commercial rice. Overall, it was confirmed that both Bt and Ab rice are substantially equivalent to the Dongjin-byeo and other commercial varieties of rice.

Content of key nutrients and anti-nutrients of the insect-resistant transgenic rice (Btt12R) developed in Korea that contains a cryIIIA insecticidal gene was compared with those of its non-transgenic counterpart (Oryza sative L. cv. Nakdongbyeo). Grains of Btt12R, its parent cultivar, and two commercial rice plants (cv. Yeonganbyeo and Hwaseongbyeo) grown in the adjoining fields under the same environmental conditions and field management were used for this study. Among the analyzed 47 nutrients (8 proximates, 17 amino acids, 8 fatty acids, 9 minerals, and 5 vitamins) and two anti-nutrients (trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid), although the levels of 17 components differed between Nakdongbyeo and Btt12R, all of the measured values from Btt12R were within the ranges of values observed in the two typical Korean varieties and commercial rice provided by the OECD. These results confirm that the nutritional quality of rice grains was not affected by the insertion of the cryIIIA gene.