Doubts over Golden rice

Controversy continues to surround the development of genetically engineered "golden rice" designed to combat vitamin A deficiency. After talks with Greenpeace at the headquarters of the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines last week, IRRI researchers said it would be at least four years before field trials would start. Golden rice is engineered to contain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Shortage of the vitamin in food is thought to kill up to 2 million people a year worldwide. IRRI, a publicly funded research body responsible for the creation of high-yield rice varieties, took delivery of samples of golden rice in January, after several companies, including Syngenta Seeds and Monsanto, handed over the rights to its development. Greenpeace has said that researchers have failed to look for natural rice varieties that could be interbred with modern strains to provide vitamin A. And itaccused the biotech industry of "using the misery of mothers and children" to gain acceptance for GM crops. But after the meeting, Greenpeace'sSouth-East Asian campaign director Von Hernandez praised IRRI's "more honest"​ assessment of the potential of golden rice. New Scientist​