Bio-engineered rice--with at least three times more iron, zinc and vitamin A--is being developed as a possible strategy against malnutrition in the country.

Rice is the staple food for a majority of people, but it is deficient in vitamin A and iron. So researchers are trying to develop varieties that could carry these essential micronutrients. At the ongoing ninth Asian Congress of nutrition, researcher from International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, S.K. Datta said a variety has already been developed. "We have succeeded in producing genetically fortified rice which accumulates as much as three times more iron and zinc than control rice seeds after polishing,'' Datta said.

Experts are now trying to combine the high iron rice with beta carotene and an essential amino acid, lysine. This 'dream rice' could be used for improving the nutritional status of vulnerable groups, among others. Visiting professor from University of California Gurdev S Khush said attempts to change eating behaviour through education have not been successful and supplementation programmes are expensive. This process, however, makes staple food more nutritious by using conventional plant breeding and biotechnbology while overcoming the limitations of altering eating behaviour and high costs.

Of course it will take at least five to seven before this rice becomes available commercially. It needs to go through extensive tests for biosafety, enviornmental safety and food safety. It will then go through field trials. And finally tonnes of seeds will need to be produced before it can go to farmers, Khush said.