Golden Rice. An Alternative Intervention to Combat Vitamin A Deficiency

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2018 in the subject Biology - Diseases, Health, Nutrition, grade: 3.0, , language: English, abstract: Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) is a widely recognized nutritional disease affecting the world's poorest developing nations. VAD is a common affliction in Asian countries where rice is a staple food. Polished or refined rice lack essential nutrients such as carotenoids exhibiting pro-vitamin A-activity. Thus, reliance on rice as a primary food staple in low income populations contributes to vitamin A deficiency. To combat this health issue, scientists have developed Golden Rice which has been genetically engineered to contain beta-carotene in the endosperm of the grain. While this alternative solution is projected to solve the related health costs of VAD significantly there are conflicting opinions surrounding the use and effectiveness of genetically engineered crops. This review attempts to examine both ends of the spectrum in order to gauge whether or not Golden Rice could be perceived as a sustainable solution to Vitamin A deficiency.