1. GOLDEN RICE
A Paper Done in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in FT 130
Submitted by:
Carissa Saldana
October 8, 2012

2. Golden Rice
Rice is the staple food crop for more than half of the world’s population, and is especially
important in Asia. Because of this, farmers have been cultivating and breeding rice for thousands of
years to improve its nutritional value and its resistance to rodents and diseases. Despite being the staple
food of many countries, it is lacking as a source of macronutrients such as Vitamin A. But because of
latest advancements in science and technology, the improvement of rice with nutrients and pest control
was made possible.
One of the latest advancements in the field of rice technology is the “Golden Rice”. Golden rice is
genetically modified to contain beta-carotene which is a source of Vitamin A that is needed by the
human body. It was first developed by Professor Ingo Potrykus and his colleagues from the University
Of Freiburg in Germany. Ingo Potrykus and his colleagues found that geranyl geranyl diphosphate
(GGPP), a precursor to carotenoid production, is present in rice seed but is not
About 600 structures of a group of chemical compounds called carotenoids have been discovered
in various organisms, but are predominantly confined in plants. Carotenoids are light harvesting
pigments located in the plastids. The carotenoids in the chloroplasts protect chlorophyll from damage by
excessive light. The carotenoids, related to and derived from b-carotene,impart pale yellow to light
reddish yellow colour to the parts in which they occur. Organisms contain different combinations and
quantities of carotenoids in different parts.
So what they did is that they genetically engineered golden rice to express the enzymes necessary
for the conversion of GGPP to beta-carotene. This requires 3 genes which will produce the enzymes to
catalyze the conversion of beta-carotene to GGPP. 2 genes come from the flower Daffodil (Narcissus
pseudonarcissus) which contains an excellent amount of beta-carotene. The genes found on daffodils can
also be found on maize but using daffodils is more practical because of its exceptionally high
concentration of beta-carotene and because it is easy to cultivate. The other gene comes from the
microorganism Erwinia uredovora.To be able to introduce these genes to the rice seed,they use the
bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The enzyme products of these genes lead to the formation of
lycopene which is then converted by the enzymes in the rice plant to beta-carotene.
There is not much difference in the golden rice and ordinary rice except for their nutritional
properties and the obvious change in color. The grains of golden rice are similar to other varieties of rice,
in their crinkly and scabrous husks but the core of the grain is pale yellow, instead of pearly white. It
also contains beta-carotene, precursor for Vitamin A production, which is a pigment that is not present in

3. ordinary rice. Golden rice was also reported to have increased iron content. In terms of monetary value,
they do not differ appreciably to ordinary rice because the technology involved in developing Golden
Rice was provided free by the inventors using the donation of intellectual property licenses from a
number of private companies. This technology was intended to be a gift to resource-poor farmers of
developing countries. As a result, there will be no extra cost to obtain these seeds from IRRI and use
them for local purposes. Farmers are also legally allowed to reproduce and exchange seeds freely.
Golden rice is cooked in the same way that ordinary rice is cooked but the golden color of the golden
rice disappears which is due to the loss of translucency of the starch in the grain.
The main objective of the inventors of Golden rice was to find a new and economical way of
reducing Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) which affects an estimated 100-200 million children worldwide. In
the Philippines, VAD affects approximately 1.7 million children (15.2%). Vitamin A is an essential
nutrient needed for the visual system, growth, development, and a healthy immune system. Everybody
needs vitamin A to grow and thrive, particularly mothers and young children. VAD can damage the
immune system and decrease the body’s ability to resist or fight infections, therefore increasing the risk of
mortality from common diseases,especially among young children. Vitamin A deficiency may also result
to impaired vision, including night blindness and may result in permanent, partial, or total blindness if left
untreated.
The poor in the developing world, who live primarily on a diet of starchy staples (such as rice)
that lack vital micronutrients like vitamin A are particularly vulnerable to VAD. Because rice is widely
produced and consumed, Golden Rice has the potential to reach many people, including those who do not
have reliable access to or cannot afford other sources of vitamin A. Golden rice can help alleviate VAD
because 1 cup of Golden rice could supply 50% of an adult's Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin
A.
Despite the genuine intention of the creators of Golden rice to help alleviate the increasing case of
VAD in poor countries, some people still consider it a “fool’s gold” because it does not justify its goal to
fight VAD. First is because of geographical limitations. Rice cannot be grown in dry conditions which is
the case of African countries where VAD incidence highly occurs. Second is because the digestion,
absorption and transport of beta-carotene require protein and fat stores. However,a child that suffers
VAD commonly also suffers protein shortages and intestinal infections which interfere with the
absorption and conversion of Vitamin A in the body. Third, being a genetically modified organism, there
are also many speculations that it will be a source of new allergens and it may involve ecological risks
such as the creation of a new rice variety when they interbred with other plants. Lastly, it is not sure

4. whether golden rice will be appreciated by consumers especially its color. This can be seen on the under-
appreciation of the brown rice among Asian countries. Most Asians prefer white rice rather than brown,
unpolished rice which is already rich in nutrients. It has therefore been argued that if the consumption of
‘Golden Rice’ would require an educational campaign, it may be easier to persuade them to eat brown
rice, or to grow some vegetables in the margins of their rice fields.
Golden Rice is now only a research product and it takes a lot of time and effort to make it
available across the counter, particularly in the developing countries, which essentially require it. Leading
nutrition and agricultural research organizations are working together to develop and evaluate Golden
Rice as a potential new way to reduce vitamin A deficiency. One of the leading organizations that conduct
research on Golden rice is the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). This institute is also found
here in the Philippines and mostly concerns itself on developing golden rice versions of existing rice
varieties that are popular with their local farmers,retaining the same yield, pest resistance and grain
qualities. Cooking and taste tests are also done to help make sure that Golden Rice meets consumers’
needs.
References:
G. Barry. IRRI,2005. Golden Rice Fact Sheet. Retrieved from:
http://www.goldenrice.org/PDFs/fs_GR_IRRI_2005.pdf
Genetically Modified Organisms,2003. Retrieved from:
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology/support/13_gmo.pdf
Jeroen van Wijk, 2002. Food insecurity: Prevalence,causes,and the potential of transgenic “Golden
Rice”. Retrieved from: http://w3.ualg.pt/~jvarela/biotecnol/pdf/goldenrice.pdf
Golden Rice and Vitamin A Deficiency, 2012. Retrieved from:
http://www.irri.org/images/stories/Golden_Rice/Golden_Rice_Project_Brief_2012.pdf
Vitamin A Deficiency, 2012. Retrieved from:
http://www.irri.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=10227&Itemid=100570
&lang=en
Genetically Modified Rice, 2008.Retrieved from: http://www.gmo-
compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/24.genetically_modified_rice.html