What specific nutrient deficiency was Golden Rice engineered to combat via beta-carotene production?
Answer
Vitamin A deficiency.
Golden Rice is a well-known example of biofortification through genetic modification, developed to address a major global health crisis. It was engineered specifically to synthesize beta-carotene, which the human body converts into Vitamin A. This initiative targeted populations in regions where rice constitutes the primary caloric source, often leading to severe deficiency in Vitamin A, a condition associated with xerophthalmia and blindness. The introduction of this precursor vitamin directly into a staple food aims to mitigate these widespread nutritional deficits through dietary means.
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