Rice grown with gold debuts

Gold can now be part of your staple diet.

SM Nanotech has developed rice with gold in it, which the company says will leave you feeling as fit as a king.

SM Nanotech, a local company specialized in supplying platinum, gold, silver and nano-related products, said it officially launched "Cheonsoogeum Rice" on the market through high-end department stores in Seoul yesterday.

Lee Jong-suk, president of SM Nanotech, said Korea is the first country in the world to have invented the technology to produce gold-infused rice.

"We`re the first country in the world to have developed such a product; we have already secured a patent here at home and have applied for an international patent, which should allow us to register for trademark rights in different countries some time next year," Lee told The Korea Herald in a telephone interview.



SM Nanotech`s latest technology allows for gold to be naturally absorbed into the grain and digested by human beings. The basic method involves electronically dismantling pure gold and then handling it with SM Nanotech`s patented technology, which Lee declares is a "secret" that he cannot expose. The gold is put into a mixture, which is then sprinkled onto the plants` roots to be absorbed and then carried to the grain.



The company conducted the research in cooperation with a farm in Yeoju County of Gyeonggi Province, a region recognized for producing high-quality rice, on a 12,000 square-meter field.

The farm produced about 3,600 metric tons of the precious grain, the chief executive said. He aims to raise the volume by 10 times next year.

The product, due to the limited production volume, is currently only available at Shinsegae and Hyundai department stores. Cheonsoogeum Rice is available in a two-kilogram package and costs 22,000 won.

Each kilogram of rice contains at least 93 nanograms of gold. A 20-kilogram sack of regular rice sold at the supermarket generally costs about 45,000 won.

The successful debut round of production was the result of five years of effort on research and development, as well as 1.5 billion won in investment costs. Farmers interested in adopting the technology just need to make a request to SM Nanotech. The company would provide the necessary materials and guidance to farmers.

"This special technology can help double profit for our rice farmers, as we believe consumers would spend generously if it comes to investing in their health," the entrepreneur said. "The technology can help farmers build their global competitiveness," he added.

Lee praised gold for its purported ability to help strengthen one`s immune system and slow aging due to anti-oxidants. He was, however, cautious about providing concrete examples of illnesses that gold could help prevent, citing lack of cases on edible gold products and their health benefits. He said that his gold food products have not received validation from the Korea Food and Drug Administration, but underscored that the research was based on an age-old and reliable medical encyclopedia.

Lee`s gold rice follows the market launch of gold fruits in March. Some of the fruits include pears, tomatoes, strawberries, Japanese apricots and apples. Gold green tea is also available.

So far, consumer response has been favorable and stands as a promising venture.

"All the products got sold out, as they came out on the market," Lee said, noting that the available quantity has been "small" due to a limited production. He added that consumers have been quick to purchase the gold rice in stock at the department stores, and have even made pre-orders to ensure they get a hold of more packages scheduled to be delivered.

"At this point, I think the gold rice will all be sold out next week."

Lee noted that the debut of his gold fruits had attracted interested buyers from Japan, Taiwan and China.

"We haven`t been able to do any exporting due to the limited quantity, but we will definitely begin doing so once we have the volume and the distribution chain set up," he said. He added that the company is now looking into establishing an export line with Namyangju, a city east of Seoul, for its gold pears.

The gold versions of the fruits now in season - apples and pears - can be found at Shinsegae and Hyundai. SM Nanotech plans to expand the list of gold agricultural products. The products now in the pipeline are paprika, melons and mandarin oranges.

"The gold will boost the health effects of the already nutritious agricultural products," Lee said. "We`re not aiming to be a niche market but a widely enjoyed and sought-after one."

For more corporate information, log onto www.smnanotech.com.

(sohjung@heraldm.com)



By Yoo Soh-jung