Projecting the Contribution of Provitamin A Maize Biofortification and Other Nutrition Interventions to the Nutritional Adequacy and Cost of Diets in Rural Zimbabwe.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of the effectiveness of biofortified maize with higher provitamin A (PVA) to address vitamin A deficiency in rural Africa remains scant. OBJECTIVES: This study projects the impact of adopting PVA maize for a diversity of households in an area typical of rural Zimbabwe and models the cost and composition of diets adequate in vitamin A. METHODS: Household-level weighed food records were generated from 30 rural households during a week in April and November 2021. Weekly household intakes were calculated, as well as indicative costs of diets using data from market surveys. The impact of PVA maize adoption was modeled assuming all maize products contained observed vitamin A concentrations. The composition and cost of the least expensive indicative diets adequate in vitamin A were calculated using linear programming. RESULTS: Very few households would reach adequate intake of vitamin A with the consumption of PVA maize. However, from a current situation of 33%, 50%-70% of households were projected to reach ≥50% of their requirements (the target of PVA), even with the modest vitamin A concentrations achieved on-farm (mean of 28.3 µg RAE per 100 g). This proportion would increase if higher concentrations recorded on-station were achieved. The estimated daily costs of current diets (mean ± standard deviation) were USD 1.43 ± 0.59 in the wet season and USD 0.96 ± 0.40 in the dry season. By comparison, optimization models suggest that diets adequate in vitamin A could be achieved at daily costs of USD 0.97 and USD 0.79 in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of PVA maize would bring a substantial improvement in vitamin A intake in rural Zimbabwe but should be combined with other interventions (e.g., diet diversification) to fully address vitamin A deficiency.

Hidden hunger - a narrative review

Abstract Objective Malnutrition is characterized by situations of undernutrition and obesity resulting from the lack of micronutrients with the greatest impact on children. The objective of this review was to highlight inadequate food consumption, food security, and nutritional inadequacy leading to hidden hunger and the prevention and treatment of the main micronutrient deficiencies in Brazil. Data source Literature review carried out through a bibliographic survey in PubMed (National Library of Medicine, United States), Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences), and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) databases. The search used the terms Occult hunger, (hidden hunger), and Child, in articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The search was performed on 06/25/2023. Data synthesis The lack of micronutrients can occur insidiously and without clinical manifestations, being called hidden hunger. The prevention of nutritional deficiencies is part of the recommended actions in childcare, with healthy eating. Studies were cited related to macro and micronutrient intake deficiencies, both national and international, and strategies to improve micronutrient intake, including routine supplementation of iron, and vitamins D and A. The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the main deficiencies in Brazil (iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc), currently adopted, concluded the topic. Conclusion Zero hunger and zero obesity must be part of the same policy, together with a nutritional education program.

Comprehensive evaluation of factors influencing selenium fertilization biofortification.

BACKGROUND: Dietary selenium (Se) deficiency, stemming from low Se concentrations in agricultural products, threatens human health. While Se-containing fertilizers can enhance the Se content in crops, the key factors governing Se biofortification with Se fertilization remain unclear. RESULTS: This study constructed a global meta-analysis dataset based on field experiments comprising 364 entries on Se content in agricultural products and 271 entries on their yield. Random forest models and mixed effects meta-analyses revealed that plant types (i.e., cereals, vegetables, legumes, and forages) primarily influenced Se biofortification, with Se fertilization rates being the next significant factor. The random forest model, which included variables like plant types, Se fertilization rates, methods and types of Se application, initial soil conditions (including Se content, organic carbon content, and pH), soil types, mean annual precipitation, and temperature, explained 82.14% of the variation in Se content and 48.42% of the yield variation in agricultural products. For the same agricultural products, the increase in Se content decreased with higher rates of Se fertilization. The increase in Se content in their edible parts will be negligible for cereals, forages, legumes, and vegetable crops, when Se fertilization rates were 164, 103, 144, and 147 g Se ha-1, respectively. Conversely, while low Se fertilization rates enhanced yields, high rates led to a yield reduction, particularly in cereals. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the need for balanced and precise Se fertilization strategies to optimize Se biofortification benefits and minimize the risk of yield reduction. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hidden hunger - a narrative review.

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition is characterized by situations of undernutrition and obesity resulting from the lack of micronutrients with the greatest impact on children. The objective of this review was to highlight inadequate food consumption, food security, and nutritional inadequacy leading to hidden hunger and the prevention and treatment of the main micronutrient deficiencies in Brazil. DATA SOURCE: Literature review carried out through a bibliographic survey in PubMed (National Library of Medicine, United States), Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences), and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) databases. The search used the terms Occult hunger, (hidden hunger), and Child, in articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The search was performed on 06/25/2023. DATA SYNTHESIS: The lack of micronutrients can occur insidiously and without clinical manifestations, being called hidden hunger. The prevention of nutritional deficiencies is part of the recommended actions in childcare, with healthy eating. Studies were cited related to macro and micronutrient intake deficiencies, both national and international, and strategies to improve micronutrient intake, including routine supplementation of iron, and vitamins D and A. The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the main deficiencies in Brazil (iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc), currently adopted, concluded the topic. CONCLUSION: Zero hunger and zero obesity must be part of the same policy, together with a nutritional education program.

Impacts, causes and biofortification strategy of rice selenium deficiency based on publication collection.

Selenium (Se) deficiency in rice will result in a Se hidden hunger threat to the general public's human health, particularly in areas where rice consumption is high. Nevertheless, the impact scope and coping strategies have not been given sufficient focus on a worldwide scale. In order to evaluate the impacts, causes and biofortification strategies of Se-deficient rice, this study collected data from the publications on three themes: market survey, field sampling and controlled experiments. According to the market survey, global rice Se concentrations were 0.079 mg/kg on mean and 0.062 mg/kg on median. East Asia has a human Se intake gap due to the region's high rice consumption and the lowest rice Se concentration in markets globally. Total Se concentrations in East Asian paddy soils were found to be adequate based on the field sampling. However, over 70 % of East Asian paddy fields were inadequate to yield rice that met the global mean for rice Se concentration. The Se-deficient rice was probably caused by widespread low Se bioavailability in East Asian paddy fields. There were two important factors influencing rice Se enrichment including root Se uptake and iron oxide in soils. Concentrating on these processes is beneficial to rice Se biofortification. Since Se is adequate in the paddy soils of East Asia. Rather of adding Se exogenously, activating the native Se in paddy soil is probably a more appropriate strategy for rice Se biofortification in East Asia. Meta-analysis revealed water management had the greatest impact on rice Se biofortification. The risks and solutions for rice Se deficiency were discussed in our farmland-to-table survey, which will be a valuable information in addressing the global challenge of Se hidden hunger. This study also provided new perspectives and their justifications, critically analyzing both present and future strategies to address Se hidden hunger.

Iron and zinc biofortification of rice by synergistic expression of OsNAS2 gene with monocot (Pennisetum glaucum) and dicot (Phaseolus vulgaris) ferritins.

Iron and zinc deficiencies are the most prevalent cause of global hidden hunger. Rice, being one of the most consumed crops worldwide, is suitable to target for Fe and Zn biofortification. In present study, we generated rice transgenic lines to meet the recommended dietary requirement of iron and zinc through endosperm specific expression of dicot (kidney bean) and monocot (pearl millet) Ferritins along with constitutive expression of rice nicotianamine synthase 2 (OsNAS2) gene. Visualization through perls' prussian staining and quantification by ICP-MS showed significant improvement in grain iron content in all the transgenic lines. The transgenic lines expressing any of the three selected gene combinations (PvFerrtin-OsNAS2, feedPgFerrtin-OsNAS2 and foodPgFerritin-OsNAS2), showed the potential to surpass the 30% of the estimated average requirement (13 µg/g Fe and 28 µg/g Zn) proposed for rice in HarvestPlus breeding program. Though the expression of PvFerritin along with OsNAS2 gene in IET10364 (indica) variety showed the best result, providing up to 4.2- and 3.5-fold increase in iron (30.56 µg/g) and zinc (60.1 µg/g) content, respectively; in polished grains compared to non-transgenic control. Thus, the lines developed in our study can be used for further breeding purpose to enhance the iron and zinc content in commercial rice varieties.

Biofortification: an approach to eradicate micronutrient deficiency.

Micronutrient deficiency also known as "hidden hunger" refers to a condition that occurs when the body lacks essential vitamins and minerals that are required in small amounts for proper growth, development and overall health. These deficiencies are particularly common in developing countries, where a lack of access to a varied and nutritious diet makes it difficult for people to get the micronutrients they need. Micronutrient supplementation has been a topic of interest, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, due to its potential role in supporting immune function and overall health. Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), and selenium (Se) deficiency in humans are significant food-related issues worldwide. Biofortification is a sustainable strategy that has been developed to address micronutrient deficiencies by increasing the levels of essential vitamins and minerals in staple crops that are widely consumed by people in affected communities. There are a number of agricultural techniques for biofortification, including selective breeding of crops to have higher levels of specific nutrients, agronomic approach using fertilizers and other inputs to increase nutrient uptake by crops and transgenic approach. The agronomic approach offers a temporary but speedy solution while the genetic approach (breeding and transgenic) is the long-term solution but requires time to develop a nutrient-rich variety.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of MTP (Metal Ion Transport Proteins) Genes in the Common Bean.

MTP/CDF carriers, called metal ion transport proteins, act as substrates for the transmission of micronutrients such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) to membrane carriers in plants. In this study, genome-wide analysis of the MTP gene family in the common bean genome, expression analysis of the PvMTP4, PvMTP5, and PvMTP12 genes after Fe and Zn treatments, and the effects of Fe and Zn applications on iron and zinc content were investigated. This study used common bean genotypes assumed to have high or low Fe and Zn accumulation ability. PvMTP genes were defined as containing conserved catalytic domains with molecular weights and protein lengths ranging from 41.35 to 91.05 kDa and from 369 to 813 amino acids (aa), respectively. As a result of the phylogenetic analysis, three main clusters containing seven subgroups were formed. In this study, the first characterization of the MTP gene family of beans was performed, and the responses of three different PvMTP genes in the Zn-CDF group to Fe and Zn applications were revealed. The obtained findings are thought to constitute pioneering resources for future research on common bean biofortification studies, plant breeding related to Fe and Zn, and the functional characterization of the MTP gene family.

Sodium Literacy.

This communication describes the concept of sodium literacy as means of optimizing sodium intake and achieving better cardiovascular health. It also highlights the sources of sodium in South Asian cuisine which can be avoided or minimized.

Strategies for identifying stable lentil cultivars (Lens culinaris Medik) for combating hidden hunger, malnourishment, and climate variability.

Iron and zinc malnutrition is a global humanitarian concern that mostly affects newborns, children, and women in low- and middle-income countries where plant-based diets are regularly consumed. This kind of malnutrition has the potential to result in a number of immediate and long-term implications, including stunted growth, an elevated risk of infectious diseases, and poor development, all of which may ultimately cause children to not develop to the fullest extent possible. A determination of the contributions from genotype, environment, and genotype by environment interactions is necessary for the production of nutrient-dense lentil varieties that offer greater availability of iron and zinc with a high level of trait stability. Understanding the genotype and environmental parameters that affect G x E (Genotype x Environment) interactions is essential for plant breeding. We used GGE(Genotype, Genotype x Environment interactions) and AMMI (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction) models to study genetic stability and GE(Genotype x Environment interactions) for grain Fe, Zn, Al, and anti-nutritional factors like phytic acid content in sixteen commercially produced lentil cultivars over several different six geographical locations across India. Significant genetic variability was evident in the Fe and Zn levels of different genotypes of lentils. The amounts of grain iron, zinc, and phytic acid varied from 114.10 to 49.90 mg/kg, 74.62 to 21.90 mg/kg, and 0.76 to 2.84 g/100g (dw) respectively. The environment and GE (Genotype x Environment interactions) had an impact on the concentration of grain Fe, Zn, and phytic acid (PA). Heritability estimations ranged from low to high (53.18% to 99.48%). The study indicated strong correlation between the contents of Fe and Zn, a strategy for simultaneously increasing Fe and Zn in lentils may be recommended. In addition, our research revealed that the stable and ideal lentil varieties L4076 (Pusa Shivalik) for Fe concentration and L4717 (Pusa Ageti) for Zn content, which have lower phytic acid contents, will not only play an essential role as stable donors in the lentil bio-fortification but will also enable the expansion of the growing area of bio-fortified crops for the security of health and nutrition.

Bacteria from the gut influence the host micronutrient status.

Micronutrient deficiencies or "hidden hunger" remains a serious public health problem in most low- and middle-income countries, with severe consequences for child development. Traditional methods of treatment and prevention, such as supplementation and fortification, have not always proven to be effective and may have undesirable side-effects (i.e., digestive troubles with iron supplementation). Commensal bacteria in the gut may increase bioavailability of specific micronutrients (i.e., minerals), notably by removing anti-nutritional compounds, such as phytates and polyphenols, or by the synthesis of vitamins. Together with the gastrointestinal mucosa, gut microbiota is also the first line of protection against pathogens. It contributes to the reinforcement of the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and to a better absorption of micronutrients. However, its role in micronutrient malnutrition is still poorly understood. Moreover, the bacterial metabolism is also dependent of micronutrients acquired from the gut environment and resident bacteria may compete or collaborate to maintain micronutrient homeostasis. Gut microbiota composition can therefore be modulated by micronutrient availability. This review brings together current knowledge on this two-way relationship between micronutrients and gut microbiota bacteria, with a focus on iron, zinc, vitamin A and folate (vitamin B9), as these deficiencies are public health concerns in a global context.

Exploring the Complementarity of Fortification and Dietary Diversification to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies: A Scoping Review.

Achieving a balanced and diverse diet remains a challenge for many people, contributing to an ongoing burden of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in low-income settings. Fortification or dietary diversification are common food-based approaches. We conducted a scoping review to: 1) find evidence on whether combined food-based strategies are more effective than single strategies, and 2) understand how strategies implemented together could complement each other to achieve optimal nutritional impact on populations. Peer-reviewed articles selected (n = 21) included interventions or observational studies (n = 13) and reviews (n = 8). We found little evidence of an added nutritional impact. On the other hand, it is apparent that fortification and dietary diversification target different types of settings (urban compared with rural) and foods (that is, low priced compared with highly priced). Further research is needed to understand the complementarity of these approaches and establish evidence of the effectiveness of combined strategies to foster policy adoption.

Hidden Obesity.

This communication proposes the term "hidden obesity" to describe normal weight obesity, or increased adiposity without a corresponding increase in body mass index. It uses the concept of hidden hunger to craft semantics which will generate greater attention to this condition from all stake-holders, including policymakers and planners. The article describes simple tools which can be used to suspect and confirm the diagnosis of hidden obesity. This phenotype is very commonly seen in the south Asian population.

Bibliometric Analysis of Functional Crops and Nutritional Quality: Identification of Gene Resources to Improve Crop Nutritional Quality through Gene Editing Technology.

Food security and hidden hunger are two worldwide serious and complex challenges nowadays. As one of the newly emerged technologies, gene editing technology and its application to crop improvement offers the possibility to relieve the pressure of food security and nutrient needs. In this paper, we analyzed the research status of quality improvement based on gene editing using four major crops, including rice, soybean, maize, and wheat, through a bibliometric analysis. The research hotspots now focus on the regulatory network of related traits, quite different from the technical improvements to gene editing in the early stage, while the trends in deregulation in gene-edited crops have accelerated related research. Then, we mined quality-related genes that can be edited to develop functional crops, including 16 genes related to starch, 15 to lipids, 14 to proteins, and 15 to other functional components. These findings will provide useful reference information and gene resources for the improvement of functional crops and nutritional quality based on gene editing technology.

Function identification and characterization of Oryza sativa ZRT and IRT-like proteins computationally for nutrition and biofortification in rice.

Zinc plays a very critical role and function in all organisms. Its deficiency can cause a serious issue. In Oryza sativa, the ZRT/IRT transporter-like proteins play a role in the zinc metal uptake and transport. Few OsZIPs genes have been validated and characterized for their biological functions and most of OsZIPs are not well physiologically, biochemically and phenotypically characterized. In the current study, they analyzed for their function through subcellular localization, phylogenetic analysis, homology modeling, expression analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network prediction, and prediction of their binding sites. Hierarchical clustering of OsZIP genes based on different anatomical parts and developmental stages also orthologs prediction was identified. The presence of SNPs, SSRs, ESTs, FSTs, MPSS, and SAGE tags were analyzed for useful development of markers. SNPs were identified in all OsZIPs genes and each gene was further classified based on their number and position in the 3'UTR and 5'UTR regions of the gene-specific sequences. Binding clusters and their location on the protein sequences were predicted. We found Changing in residues number and position which were due to partial overlapping and sequence alignment, but they share the same mechanism of binding and transporting Zinc. A wide range of CRISPR Cas9 gRNAs was designed based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for each OsZIP transporter gene for well-function identification and characterization with genome-wide association studies. Hence this study would provide useful information, understanding, and predicting molecular insights for the future studies that will help for improvement of nutritional quality of rice varieties.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Critical assessment of wheat biofortification for iron and zinc: a comprehensive review of conceptualization, trends, approaches, bioavailability, health impact, and policy framework.

Addressing global hidden hunger, particularly in women of childbearing age and children under five, presents a significant challenge, with a focus on iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency. Wheat, a staple crop in the developing world, is crucial for addressing this issue through biofortification efforts. While extensive research has explored various approaches to enhance Fe and Zn content in wheat, there remains a scarcity of comprehensive data on their bioavailability and impact on human and animal health. This systematic review examines the latest trends in wheat biofortification approaches, assesses bioavailability, evaluates the effects of biofortified wheat on health outcomes in humans and animals, and analyzes global policy frameworks. Additionally, a meta-analysis of per capita daily Fe and Zn intake from average wheat consumption was conducted. Notably, breeding-based approaches have led to the release of 40 biofortified wheat varieties for commercial cultivation in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Bolivia, and Nepal, but this progress has overlooked Africa, a particularly vulnerable continent. Despite these advancements, there is a critical need for large-scale systematic investigations into the nutritional impact of biofortified wheat, indicating a crucial area for future research. This article can serve as a valuable resource for multidisciplinary researchers engaged in wheat biofortification, aiding in the refinement of ongoing and future strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating hunger and malnutrition by 2030.

A New Technique for Determining Micronutrient Nutritional Quality in Fruits and Vegetables Based on the Entropy Weight Method and Fuzzy Recognition Method.

The human body needs nutrients to maintain its regular physiological activity. It requires 40 essential nutrients, including macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Although macronutrient intake has been improved in China due to people's increased social awareness, the population's micronutrient intake remains insufficient. OBJECTIVE: The current food evaluation system is primarily used to assess macronutrients, while an effective assessment method for micronutrients is still lacking. Fruits and vegetables are low-energy food sources that mainly provide vitamins and minerals and supply the human body with various micronutrients. METHODS: In this paper, the entropy and fuzzy recognition methods were used to construct the Vitamin Index (Vitamin Index = Vitamin A Index + Vitamin Comprehensive Index + Vitamin Matching Index) and Mineral Index (Mineral Index = Calcium Index + Mineral Comprehensive Index + Mineral Matching Index) and to evaluate the micronutrient quality of 24 vegetables and 20 fruits. RESULTS: The assessment results showed that Chinese dates displayed the highest Vitamin and Mineral Index among fruits (Vitamin Index = 2.62 and Mineral Index = 2.63), while collard greens had the highest Vitamin Index of the vegetables, at 2.73, and red amaranth had the highest Mineral Index, at 2.74. CONCLUSIONS: The study introduces a new method for assessing the nutritional quality of micronutrients, which provides a new idea for assessing the nutrient quality of agricultural products.

Improving nutrition through biofortification-A systematic review.

Nutritious foods are essential for human health and development. However, malnutrition and hidden hunger continue to be a challenge globally. In most developing countries, access to adequate and nutritious food continues to be a challenge. Although hidden hunger is less prevalent in developed countries compared to developing countries where iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are common. The United Nations (UN) 2nd Sustainable Development Goal was set to eradicate malnutrition and hidden hunger. Hidden hunger has led to numerous cases of infant and maternal mortalities, and has greatly impacted growth, development, cognitive ability, and physical working capacity. This has influenced several countries to develop interventions that could help combat malnutrition and hidden hunger. Interventions such as dietary diversification and food supplementation are being adopted. However, fortification but mainly biofortification has been projected to be the most sustainable solution to malnutrition and hidden hunger. Plant-based foods (PBFs) form a greater proportion of diets in certain populations; hence, fortification of PBFs is relevant in combating malnutrition and hidden hunger. Agronomic biofortification, plant breeding, and transgenic approaches are some currently used strategies in food crops. Crops such as cereals, legumes, oilseeds, vegetables, and fruits have been biofortified through all these three strategies. The transgenic approach is sustainable, efficient, and rapid, making it suitable for biofortification programs. Omics technology has also been introduced to improve the efficiency of the transgenic approach.

Zinc and Provitamin A Biofortified Maize Genotypes Exhibited Potent to Reduce Hidden-Hunger in Nepal.

Zinc deficiency affects one third of the population worldwide, and vitamin A deficiency is a prevalent public health issue in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-Asia, including Nepal. Crop biofortification is the sustainable solution to these health-related problems, thus we conducted two different field trials in an alpha lattice design to identify zinc and provitamin A biofortified maize genotypes consistent and competitive in performance over the contrasting seasons (Season 1: 18 February to 6 July 2020 and Season 2: 31 August to 1 February, 2020/21). In our study, the performance of introduced maize genotypes (zinc-15 and provitamin A biofortified-24) were compared with that of the local check, focusing on the overall agro-morphology, yield attributes, yield, and kernel zinc and total carotenoid content. Zinc and total carotenoid in the tested genotypes were found in the range between 14.2 and 24.8 mg kg-1 and between 1.8 and 3.6 mg 100 g-1. Genotypes A1831-8 from zinc and EEPVAH-46 from provitamin A biofortified maize trial recorded kernel zinc and total carotenoid as high as 52.3, and 79.5%, respectively, compared to the local check (DMH849). The provitamin A genotypes EEPVAH-46 and EEPVAH-51 (total carotenoid: 3.6 and 3.3 mg 100 g-1), and zinc biofortified genotypes A1847-10 and A1803-42 (20.4 and 22.4 mg kg-1 zinc) were identified as superior genotypes based on their yield consistency over the environments and higher provitamin A and zinc content compared to the check. In addition, farmers can explore August sowing to harvest green cobs during December-January to boost up the emerging green cob business.