The Philippines last month approved the commercial cultivation of a Bt eggplant, which is resistant to a pest that causes heavy losses and often requires many pesticide applications. With this approval, follows the path of Bangladesh, which has been selling Bt eggplant since 2013, and where large-scale success has been reported with many small farmers adhering annually to the increased production and reduction of pesticides that this crop allows them. In addition, it is the second GM food to be approved by the Philippines after the historic approval of Golden Rice in 2021.

According to the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Philippine Department of Agriculture, the "Biosafety Permit for Commercial Propagation (No. 22-001 Propa)" for Bt Brinjal (Event EE-1) was granted to the University of the Philippines Los Banheiros (UPLB).

This regulatory approval came after the rigorous and exhaustive biosafety assessments carried out by the Joint Evaluation Group, composed of representatives of the Competent National Authorities - Biosafety Committees, and the certification of the EE-1 Event as A Protector Incorporated into the Plant (Group 11A Insecticide) by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority. Prior to this approval for commercial propagation, DA-BPI also approved bt eggplant for direct use as food, feed or processing (21-078FFP) on July 21, 2021, affirming its safety for consumption.

Bt eggplant contains a natural protein from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which makes it resistant to the most devastating insect pest of the crop: the eggplant and shoot drill (EFSB). This Bt protein is highly specific for EFSB larvae and is safe for humans, animals and other non-target arthropods.