본 연구는 농촌진흥청에서 개발된 베타카로틴강화미를 Sprague-Dawley rats에 13주동안 투여하여 안전성을 입증 하기 위해 수행되었다. 그 결과, 투여기간동안 모든 동물이 생존했다. 체중, 식이 음수 섭취량 및 식이섭취량에서 대조군과 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. 베타카로틴강화미의 투여가 독성에 기인하는 임상증상 또한 나타나지 않았다. AST, ALT, TG함량이 베타카로틴강화미 25%투여군과 베타카로틴강화미 50%투여군 암 수컷에서 다소 감소하였다. 또한, 대조군과 베타카로틴강화미 투여군에서 병리조직학적 변화를 나타내지 않았다. 따라서, 베타카로틴강화미는 일반미와 마찬가지로 안전하다고 판단된다.
This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of ${eta}$-carotene biofortified rice, a genetically modified organism (GMO) developed by Rural Development Administration. ${eta}$-carotene biofortified rice were exposed on Sprague-Dawley rats for 13 weeks. All rats survived until the end of the exposure period. There were no biologically significant differences in body weight, feed and water consumption, weight gains and feed efficiency. There were no clinical signs of toxicity attributable to exposure to GM rice. Mild decreases in AST, ALT, TG levels were observed in Group II (25% GM rice (w/w) and Group III (50% GM rice (w/w), both in females and males. Results of histopathological changes treated with the ${eta}$-carotene biofortified rice had no significant differences between the control and treatment groups. Based on these results, we deemed that genetically modified ${eta}$-carotene biofortified rice was as safe as conventional rice.
