Two studies on beta carotene-enriched Malusog Rice received top awards at the 2024 International Conference for Crop Science and Breeding hosted by the Society for the Advancement of Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania (SABRAO) in partnership with the Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP), Aug. 12-16. The studies highlighted the nutritional quality and consumer acceptance of the innovative rice variety designed to combat vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in the Philippines.The study titled, “Stakeholders Willing to Accept and Consume Beta Carotene-enriched Rice: Findings from the Pilot-Scale Deployment of Malusog Rice in the Philippines,” won the Best Paper Award under the Technology Development and Commercialization/Technology Extension, Dissemination, and Education Category for its comprehensive analysis of consumer acceptance in six provinces.The study showed stakeholders, including farmers and consumers, are willing to accept and consume Malusog Rice, as evidenced by its on-farm production and market testing results.After receiving a biosafety permit for commercial propagation in July 2021, DA-PhilRice began seed multiplication at its stations in Nueva Ecija and Isabela, as well as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). By 2023, the Program expanded Malusog Rice cultivation to 117ha in 18 provinces. Average yields ranged between 3.2-4.9t/ha, comparable with existing inbred rice varieties. Over two cropping seasons, Malusog Rice demonstrated stable grain quality and acceptable carotenoid content, achieving a maximum yield of 8.3t/ha and a combined output of 143t. Production cost assessments during the 2022 and 2023 cropping seasons further showed that Malusog Rice’s production costs at PhP12.07-PhP12.15/kg are on par with conventional rice varieties. Meanwhile, the study “Beta Carotene-enriched Malusog Rice: Quality and Carotenoids Determination, Distribution to Target Population, and Consumer Acceptability,” which earned the Best Poster Award for its in-depth analysis of Malusog Rice’s nutritional profile, showed that the variety contains 7.96μg of carotenoids per gram, providing 30-50% of the estimated average Vitamin A requirement. The study reported that Malusog Rice’s grain quality had high milling recovery, protein content of 9.94%, and amylose content of 20.42%, making it comparable to standard rice varieties.Furthermore, participants rated Malusog Rice on a 9-point hedonic scale, scoring high for aroma, color, and grain length in its raw form, as well as for taste, color, and tenderness when cooked. Households in Quirino and Agusan del Sur recorded a 100% acceptability score, while other provinces, including Catanduanes, Antique, Samar, and Lanao del Norte, achieved 97-99% acceptance rates.The best paper was authored by Ronan G. Zagado, Marissa V. Romero, Jesusa C. Beltran, Fidela P. Bongat, Reynante L. Ordonio, Joy Bartolome A. Duldulao, Anielyn Y. Alibuyog, Victoria C. Lapitan, Albert Christian S. Suner, Gerardo F. Estoy, Mary Ann U. Baradi, Ommal H. Abdulkadil, Sailila E. Abdula, Raul M. Boncodin, Ma. Aileen A. Garcia, Ellen E. Villate, Arnel C. Magbanua, Erika C. del Rosario, and Russell F. Reinke.Meanwhile, the authors of the best poster were Marissa V. Romero, Toni Abegail E. Almosara, Gerome A. Corpuz, and Rodel M. Bulatao.