UTILIZATION OF SEED PROTEIN COMPOSITION MUTANTS IN RICE BREEDING

摘要

In Japan, the steep rise in medical expenses has become an object of public concern, mainly because the population is aging. In particular, the cost of blood dialysis is a very important issue for patients with kidney disease. About 15 000 new patients a year are enrolled for blood dialysis therapy, and the total patient population is about more than 200 000 (Maeda, 1997). About 500 000 people manage chronic renal failure without blood dialysis through therapy based on a low-protein diet, and they require specially processed low-protein foods. The use of hyper-polished rice or starchy rice is the main method of restricting their intake of protein, but these products are very expensive and not of good eating quality when compared with ordinary rice. The development of rice cultivars with a low protein content would offer these people an inexpensive dietary alternative.