Biofortifying foods: Tripping over high hurdles
Jay Morris1*, Kendal Hirschi2,3 and Jian Yang2
Review Article | Published January 2014
International Journal of Biotechnology and Food Science, Vol. 2(1), pp. 1-15
1Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
2Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Houston, Texas 77030-2600, USA.
3Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2219, USA.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: morrisjl@uthscsa.edu
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A lofty goal for many in agriculture is the attainment of global nutritional security. Balanced nutrition would help ensure every child an opportunity to thrive. Currently, cereal grains are used as the staple caloric source in most developing countries. Unfortunately, these grains are poor sources of essential minerals (such as iron, zinc and calcium) and vitamin A. Various methods are now being employed to augment these nutrient levels. Proper seed selection coupled with effective soil preparation can increase nutrient levels, while biotechnology approaches have also shown significant promise. While augmenting levels of these nutrients or removing substances that inhibit absorption are important first steps, the true litmus test is whether these higher levels translate into improved absorption and enhanced bioavailability. Utilizing animal models researchers can test the efficacy of foods before conducting the expensive and often controversial human
feeding trails. In this review we go over the biofortification efforts that have been undertaken to improve iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin A levels and to decrease antinutrient components. In addition, we discuss the research done to assess how these changes impact absorbability in humans. Lastly, we discuss the scientific and political issues surrounding implementation of these modifications.
Keywords: Biofortification, micronutrients, antinutrients, genetically modified organism.
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Citation: Jay M, Kendal H, Jian Y (2014). Biofortifying foods: Tripping over high hurdles. Int. J. Biotechnol. Food Sci. 2(1): 1-15
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