A win for malnourished children & GMO

A celebration of new technology.

Golden rice with Vitamin A vs normal polished white rice

Golden rice was developed to reduce child mortality due to vitamin A deficiency.  The science was developed and produced golden rice from 1980 to 2005.  Anti-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) advocates argued that this would cause major problems throughout the world if this technology was used.  This argument never considered the benefit of saving the 2-3 million children who die per year and the 500,000 children per year who become blind due to poor nutrition. 

Big companies are not evil.  Many of the technologies used are patented by various companies or individuals.  Syngenta AG has negotiated for all the necessary technologies to provide the Golden Rice Humanitatrian Board with the right to sublicense rice breeding organizations in developing countries free of charge. 

The new Golden Rice variety will also contain improved genetics and tolerance to some diseases to improve rice quality and quantity during production.  The golden color in the rice grains come from beta carotene.  Rice plants always produced beta carotene in the plant but it was not transferred to the kernal.  The kernals now contain beta carotene including lutein and zeaxanthin.  

Rice plants ready to harvest.

Dr Peter Beyer of Centre for Applied Biosciences, Univeristy of Freiburg, Germany and Professor Ingo Potrykus of the Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology constructed the grains missing biosynthetic pathway.  The first success produced 1.6ug of beta carotene in 1 gram of rice.  By 2005 the system was improved to supply 31 ug/g of beta carotene in rice.  This exceeds the dietary requirement of vitamin A in 100 to 200 g of rice.   They and Syngenta deserve a humanitarian award.

Kudos to modern science and the humanitarian efforts of all involved.  Millions of lives will be saved and millions more individuals will start life with improved health.  Check http://www.goldenrice.org/ also google Golden Rice.