How is Golden Rice better than regular rice? As rice is a staple food in many vitamin A-deficient communities in Asia, Golden Rice can be a significant help in improving these areas’ vitamin A status once the grain becomes available for public consumption. While vitamin A can be obtained from food products and supplements, challenges regarding their availability, accessibility, and affordability make it difficult to address the problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Like ordinary rice, Golden Rice does not require any special cultivation practices, and generally has the same yield and agronomic performance. The beta carotene in Golden Rice, which was made possible by the addition of two new enzymes, is identical to the beta-carotene found in green leafy and yellow-colored vegetables, orange-colored fruit, and even in many vitamin supplements and food ingredients. Thus, scientists used genetic engineering to add the compound to the grain - a minor tweak that improved the grain’s nutritive value. While ordinary rice does produce beta carotene, it is not found in the grain. Golden Rice is developed through genetic engineering. This compound is what gives this grain its yellow-orange or golden color, hence its name. Golden Rice is a new type of rice that contains beta carotene (provitamin A, a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A as needed).
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