Golden rice is engineered to produce and store which nutrient in the grain?

Golden rice is engineered to produce and store which nutrient in the grain?

• A. Vitamin C
• B. Beta carotene
• C. Iron
• D. Protein

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is biofortification—putting a nutrient into a staple crop so people can get it from eating it. Golden rice is engineered to make beta-carotene, a carotenoid, in the edible part of the grain. The beta-carotene gives the rice its golden color and acts as a precursor to vitamin A in the body, meaning the body can convert it to vitamin A as needed. This helps address vitamin A deficiency, which is a major health issue in some populations. Vitamin C, iron, and protein aren’t produced in this way in the grain, so they aren’t what Golden Rice is designed to store.

The idea being tested is biofortification—putting a nutrient into a staple crop so people can get it from eating it. Golden rice is engineered to make beta-carotene, a carotenoid, in the edible part of the grain. The beta-carotene gives the rice its golden color and acts as a precursor to vitamin A in the body, meaning the body can convert it to vitamin A as needed. This helps address vitamin A deficiency, which is a major health issue in some populations.

Vitamin C, iron, and protein aren’t produced in this way in the grain, so they aren’t what Golden Rice is designed to store.