GMO Compass: Mr Potrykus, what are the main results of the pre-studies conducted at the Tufts University in Boston?

Ingo Potrykus: The tests have shown the efficacy of Golden Rice as a means to prevent vitamin A deficiency. A diet of just 200 to 300 grams of Golden Rice per day, which is the average consumption of rice in many South-East-Asian countries, is most probably enough to avoid the life-threatening consequences of a lack of beta-carotene in food.

GMO Compass: Did you expect such an outcome?

Ingo Potrykus: Frankly, I personally expected that. But the findings are much better than even my colleagues expected. Provitamin A from the rice endosperm is obviously far better converted into vitamin A than from any other foodstuff.

GMO Compass: Critics of agricultural biotechnology doubted the protective effect of Golden Rice for years. Why did it take so long to prove its efficiency?

Ingo Potrykus: We had to develop isotope-marked varieties of Golden Rice for precise conversion measurements. This was a very complex and expensive process. It took us years to gain sufficient amounts of material. In 2008 we will be able to conduct broader tests to double-check our findings.

GMO Compass: When do you expect Golden Rice to be grown on a widespread basis?

Ingo Potrykus: Countries such as India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, China and Vietnam are all seriously interested in biofortified rice to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in their populations. Currently, we are preparing for the necessary documentation for the approval procedures and I expect the first authorizations within four to five years.

GMO Compass: Mr Portykus, thank you very much for the interview.