Chapter 26.2, Problem 3QTC

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The nutritional potential of “Golden rice” and the information for the plantation and distribution of golden rice on a wide scale.

Given:

“Golden rice” is a genetically engineered (GE) rice variety that has been developed by the biotech industry to produce pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene).

Introduction:

The Golden Rice Project was first introduced in 1999, when two professors Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer, proposed their project to Rockefeller Foundation to genetically engineer rice to increase its nutrients. Rockefeller Foundation supported their goal to provide a sustainable biofortification approach to combat vitamin A deficiencies in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is prevalent in developing countries whose diets are dependent on rice or other micronutrient-poor carbohydrate foods, which do not contain vitamin A.