The application of successful biotechnology has important potential for
agriculture, with the ability to develop crop resistance to pests and diseases,
to improve yield, and to enhance the nutritional value of crops.
New research shows biotechnology can also prevent blindness caused by
nutritional deficiency.
Dr. Ingo Potrykus, a professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology in Zurich, and Dr. Peter Byer, a researcher at the University of
Freiburg in Germany, inserted three genes into rice to allow it to produce beta
carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, which gives the rice its golden hue.
The benefit of golden rice is to prevent thousands of cases of blindness
caused by vitamin A deficiency. Each year half a million people worldwide become
blind due to vitamin A deficiency. The scientists plan to distribute the golden
rice seeds free of charge for non-commercial use in developing countries such as
Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh. The same type of technique can be applied to
other crops such as wheat, barley, banana, sweet potato, cassava, etc.
A British company, AstraZeneca, obtained a license to commercialize the golden rice from the scientists mentioned above. Although there is currently a trend to avoid commercial GM (genetically modified) food in Europe due to the environmental threat , AstraZeneca is optimistic about the golden rice because of its health benefits for people. AstraZeneca plans to sell the golden rice to developed countries such as Japan and the U.S. in the future (probably after 2003).