Juan Salcedo developed enriched rice, a rice variety fortified with Vitamin B1 that helps prevent beriberi. His discovery helped reduce the cases of beriberi in the Philippines and in other countries. A former secretary of Health, Salcedo also became the chairman of the National Science Development Board in the 1960s.

Who discovered the enriched rice?

Rice enrichment in the Philippines began in the mid-1940s, when it was first conceived by Dr. R.R. Williams, the discoverer of vitamin B1 and then by the Secretary of Health of the Philippines, Dr. Juan Salcedo, Jr.

What is rice enriched?

White rice that has been coated with nutrients, such as iron, niacin, thiamin, and folic acid, which were lost when the rice was initially processed. Despite replacing some of the vitamins and protein, enriched rice is not as nutritious as whole grain brown rice.