The results of this research provide a new mode of incorporating Vitamin A into the diet of those living in countries where the diet is rice-dependent. Rice containing beta-carotene will allow a natural and safe alternative to Vitamin A supplementation.
These transgenic crops could serve to save millions of lives and prevent needless suffering. The success of transgenic crops is still being tested in the field, and acceptance of genetically modified food is growing despite some protest. People are concerned that there could be deleterious side effects from genetically engineered crops. However, researchers have not found any problems from the consumption of these crops. New ways to genetically engineer crops that would provide an assortment of essential vitamins and minerals are being examined. The scientists are ready to bring this product to the countries that are in need of more vitamin A rich foods, but there is debate over the safety and ethics of genetically engineered food that is causing a delay.
Riceweb: The Plant and How It Grows
Ye, et.al, "Engineering the Proviatmin Biosynthetic Pathway into Rice Endosperm" Science January 2000: 303-305.
Guerinot,Mary Lou "Enhanced: The Green Revolution Strikes Gold" Science January 2000: 241-250.
Garcia-Casal, et.al." Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene can Improve Noneheme Iron Absorption from Rice, Wheat and Corn by Humans" Journal of Nutrition March 1998: 646-650.
Barker, et.al, "The Carotenoids of the Human Retina." Nutritional and Environmental Influences on the Eye Ed. Allen Taylor. Boca Raton,Fl: 1999 (pp.215-225)CRC Press.
Ong, David "Absorption of Vitamin A" Vitamin A in Health and Disease Ed. Rune Blomhoff. NY,NY: 1994 (pp.37-46). Marcel Dekker, Inc.
"Vitamin A Deficiency": The Merck Manual <http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section1/chapter3/3b.htm> Cited February 2000.
DellaPenna, Dean "Nutritional Genomics: Manipulating Plant Mictronutrients to Improve Human Health" Science 285(5426):375 <http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/285/5426/375> Cited February 2000.
Roller, Sibel (ed) Organic Modification in the Food Industry: A Strategy for Food Quality Improvement. London:1998 (pp. 5-7) Blackie Academic and Professional
Other References of Interest
Peter Vurkhardt,et.al. Transgenic Rice Endosperm Expressing Daffodil Phytoene Synthase Accumulates Phytoene, a key intermediate of Provitamin A Biosynthesis. The Plant Journal (1997) V.11(5)
New Rices May Help Address Vitamin A and Iron Deficiency, Major Causes of Death in the Developing World
Sommersburg et.al, Lutein and Zeaxanthin are Associated with Photoreceptors in the Human Retina