According to the Wortd Health Organization, for example, between 100 million and 140 million children in the wortd suffer from vitamin A deficiency. Some 500,000 go blind evry year beacause of that deficiency and halfof those children die within a year of losing their sight. "Golden rice," a biotech variety named for its yellow color is thought by some to be a potential solution to the suffering and illness caused by vitamin A deficiency. Skeptics, howevry, claim that a golden rice is little more than a public relations exercise by the biotechnology industry which they say has exaggrated its benefits. "Golden rice alone won't greatly diminish vitamin A deficiency say Professor Marion Nestle of New York University. "Beta-carotene ,whice is already widely available in fruit and vegetables isn't converted to vitamin A when people are malnourished. Golden rice dose not contain much beta-carotene and whether it will improve vitamin A levels remains to be seen".