Final answer:
Golden Rice was developed to help prevent vitamin A deficiency by increasing dietary beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. It serves as an example of biofortification to combat nutritional deficiencies in regions where rice is a dietary staple.
Step-by-step explanation:
Golden Rice was created to increase the intake of vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for good vision, immune function, and skin health. Conventional white rice lacks significant amounts of this vitamin, which can lead to deficiencies, particularly in regions where rice is a staple food. Through genetic engineering, Golden Rice has been enriched with up to 35 µg of beta-carotene per gram of rice, a precursor that the human body can convert into vitamin A, potentially preventing millions of cases of vitamin A deficiency and associated conditions, such as blindness. Golden Rice serves as an example of biofortification, which is the development of micronutrient-enriched food crops through biotechnology to improve the dietary quality of staple foods.