Human nutrition studies help us understand how well the beta carotene in Golden Rice is converted to vitamin A or how “bioavailable” it is. Knowing more about the bioavailability of the beta carotene in Golden Rice helps determine if it can improve vitamin A status.
Many human nutrition studies have been done to determine and compare the bioavailability of beta carotene in different types of foods. These foods include commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, as well as crops that have been developed to contain more beta carotene than usual, including orange sweet potatoes, maize, cassava, and Golden Rice.
Nutritional research on Golden Rice has been carried out by a number of prestigious institutions, including Tufts University and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Children’s Nutrition Research Center.
Read the full, original story here: “Why are human nutrition studies on Golden Rice necessary? What have they shown?”
