Researchers Continue Trials On Vitamin A-Fortified Rice Strain
The Wall Street Journal examines golden rice, a new strain of vitamin A-fortified rice developed by researchers at the International Rice Research Institute meant to address deficiencies of the micronutrient among children. “A lack of the vitamin is a leading cause of preventable blindness and is linked to death due to infections in many poor countries,” the newspaper writes. “The golden rice program has received the backing of such groups as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Helen Keller International, the Rockefeller Foundation and [USAID],” which “provided $10.3 million in 2010 that is paying for research on golden rice’s safety and field trials in the Philippines and Bangladesh,” the newspaper notes. However, “opponents, such as Greenpeace International, … war[n] that genetically modified organisms could unleash serious, long-lasting problems in the environment,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper summarizes clinical trial results on the rice and includes comments from several experts (Larano, 9/9).