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"Bridging Sustainable Solutions in a Multidisciplinary Approach" is our collective effort to bring together diverse perspectives, knowledge, and methods to tackle the complex issues of sustainability. This book is meant to be a guide and inspiration for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students who are passionate about creating innovative and lasting solutions for a sustainable future. Sustainability is a multifaceted goal that demands insights from environmental science, engineering, economics, social sciences, and more. This book stems from the understanding that isolated approaches are insufficient; we need a collaborative, multidisciplinary strategy to address the interconnected challenges we face. We have gathered contributions from leading experts around the world, each bringing unique insights into crucial areas such as renewable energy, sustainable urban development, resource management, social equity, and environmental policy. Through cutting-edge research and real-world case studies, this book showcases the potential for innovative solutions. The variety of perspectives and methods highlights the necessity of a holistic approach to sustainability. The chapters in this book balance theoretical foundations with practical applications, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world implementation. By presenting rigorous analysis and compelling stories, we emphasize the importance of systems thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and adaptive strategies in addressing 21st-century sustainability challenges. We hope this book will be a valuable resource for anyone committed to advancing sustainable practices and policies. Whether you're an experienced professional or new to the field, we aim to inspire and equip you to contribute effectively to global sustainability efforts. As we embark on this journey toward a more sustainable future, it is our hope that "Bridging Sustainable Solutions in a Multidisciplinary Approach" will both info

Two plant production-based strategies – biofortification and dietary diversification – have been advocated to overcome micronutrient deficiencies, which are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. The respective benefits and effectiveness of these two strategies are the subject of controversy. Expanding the scope of this debate beyond the sole nutritional outcomes, and using a food system approach, this interdisciplinary review aims to providing a novel and holistic perspective on the ongoing debate. The literature shows that biofortification can be an effective medium-term strategy to tackle nutritional risk in vulnerable populations in some contexts, but that it also may have negative environmental, economic, and social impacts. Dietary diversification, on the other hand, is known to be a sustainable way to overcome micronutrient deficiencies, bringing with it long-term benefits, including nutritional, and beyond, the provision of ecosystem services. Dietary diversification is however challenging to implement, with benefits that are not immediate. Biodiversity as a basis of human diets is critically important to improving both human and environmental health. Diet diversification through increased mobilisation of biodiversity in food systems deserves much more attention and support in policies for food and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries.

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) agronomically biofortification is required on mustard greens, as their nutritional value is still insufficient to meet human needs. This biofortification is anticipated to meet the dietary requirements of Zn and Fe to prevent the stunting phenomenon. This investigation aimed to examine the consequences of foliar Fe and Zn with varying concentrations (T1 to T16) on the physiology and biochemistry of biofortified mustard. The research was carried out in a greenhouse located in Karang-anyar, Central Java, Indonesia using a randomized block design (RBD) with two factors, namely Fe-EDTA and Zn-EDTA, each concentration of 0; 0.2; 0.4; 0.6 gl-1 with three replications. Fe and Zn were applied on the 21st day after sowing with foliar spray. The results showed that Fe biofortification up to a concentration of 0.6 g L-1 with or without a combination of Zn can increase physiological and biochemical parameters in mustard greens, namely photosynthetic rate up to 6.747 µmol m-2 s-1(T15) transpiration rate 0.653 µmol m-2 s-1 (T5) stomatal conductance 18.854 µmol m-2 s-1(T5) number of stomata by 283.7 (T13), stomatal opening width by 7.777 µm (T16), iron content by 56.109 mg kg-1 (T14), but Zn content can only increase when Zn is added alone without Fe, an increase in Zn up to 18.127 mg kg-1 (T4).This study showed that Fe and Zn biofortification up to a concentration of 0.6 g L-1 was able to improve the biochemicals of mustard greens, especially their Fe and Zn contents and also the physiology of mustard greens.

Micronutrient-malnutrition is one of the most serious battle human beings are fighting. The so-called Hidden hunger is all because of micronutrient deficiencies. Iron deficiency anemia is affecting more people than any other prevailing disorder. However, iron-supplementation aggravate the infectious diseases and present policies of iron therapy carefully evaluate the pros and cons. In current review, we have evaluated the biofortification approaches for combating hidden hunger, in the light of medical and nutritional advancements. Enhancement of iron in edible plant parts is expected to improve nutrient status of human beings via crops. The density of minerals and vitamins in staple foods consumed by the poor can be raised using either traditional plant breeding or transgenic approaches, a process known as biofortification. Microbial iron biofortification is a valuable approach for human being especially in developing countries where poor people cannot afford to buy expensive supplementation. Moreover, prevailing condition of Covid-19 demands a fighting immune system and iron is likely to play vital role in improving human immune system.

Since soybean is widely cultivated around the world and has a high protein content, it is a great nutritional vehicle for increasing the dietary uptake of selenium (Se). Several studies have evaluated biofortification with Se through fertilizer application in several crops. However, it is not clear how each method and source affect the total Se content or Se species in soybean grains. This work aimed to assess the total Se content and Se speciation in Se-enriched soybean grains produced under different Se application methods in the field. The treatments consisted of Se application (soil or foliar), using organic or inorganic Se sources at 10 g ha-1 or 80 g ha-1, in two genotypes. The results showed that all treatments with inorganic Se (soil and foliar) increased the Se content in grains compared with the control. More than 80% of the total Se in grains was present as selenomethionine (SeMet), and the speciation was affected by the Se source and the method of application. The treatments using inorganic Se, applied via soil or foliar, produced the highest content of Se as SeMet in soybean grains. Finally, we propose that the preservation of the Se species in products derived from soybean grains be evaluated as the following step.

Fortification - the process of enriching products with essential nutrients has been used for many years in various branches of the food industry. However, the term biofortification is more recent and refers to increasing the concentration of essential nutrients, especially vitamins and microelements, in edible plant parts. The idea of biofortification as a measure in agricultural production was developed with the aim of reducing the consequences of “hidden hunger”, which is particularly pronounced in underdeveloped countries, and refers to insufficient intake of essential nutrients. Current research shows that more than two billion people in the world are affected by a deficiency of microelements, particularly zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) and vitamin A. In the context of biofortification, there are several methods that can be used to improve the nutritional value of plant products, namely: transgenic breeding methods (genetically modified crops), conventional breeding methods (selection and crossing) and agrobiofortification (application of fertilizers containing microelements). Agrobiofortification can be done in several ways: soil or foliar application of fertilizers or by treating seed before sowing. Agrobiofortification is considered as an efficient, economically justified and simple method that can be applied to all crops with known cultivation technology, with the aim of obtaining functional food. The specificity of agrobiofortification is reflected in the knowledge of the affinity of the plant species for the adoption of certain elements, in order to implement mineral nutrition in a way that ensures optimal growth and development of plants with the simultaneous accumulation of necessary elements in the edible plant parts. In addition, it is necessary to determine the optimal dose of fertilizer that is ecologically and economically justified, as well as the optimal timing of fertilizer application, that is, to determine the phase of plant development wh

Lentil is a highly consumed pulse crop in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and many other countries. This crop is rich in nutrients which are easy to digest and palatable. In the form of a whole food source of nutrition, it can minimize the effect of malnutrition which is prevalent worldwide. Biofortification as a tool provides us great opportunity to further enhance nutrient content biologically. A few studies showed considerable genetic variability for nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, selenium, prebiotic carbohydrates, and folate concentration in lentil, which may be further improved. While breeding for nutrients, the role of environmental effects should be taken into consideration to provide a widely adapted plant variety. A number of genomic regions have been mapped using molecular markers; however, the intensity and coverage of the experiments were low, and this area needs more efforts to make marker-assisted breeding a reality in lentil breeding for nutritional traits. Lentil also has anti-nutrients like phytic acid, which influences the bioavailability of nutrients. In addition to traditional breeding approaches, efforts are underway to make use of cis- or transgenic technologies to enhance nutritional quality in many crops; the same may be adopted based on need in the case of lentil. Biofortified lentil varieties recently released which are rich in iron and zinc concentration; however, more varieties are required to cover different agroclimatic regions or niches. In short, more focused efforts are required to identify high-yielding, biotic and abiotic stress-tolerant, and nutrient-rich new-generation lentil varieties that will definitely boost health status among the consumers, especially from today’s perspective when plant-based protein or other nutrients are gaining huge popularity.

Efficient micronutrient acquisition is a critical factor in selecting micronutrient dense crops for human consumption. Enhanced exudation and re-uptake of metal chelators, so-called phytosiderophores, by roots of graminaceous plants has been implicated in efficient micronutrient acquisition. We compared PS biosynthesis and exudation as a response mechanism to either Fe, Zn or Cu starvation. Two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) lines with contrasting micronutrient grain yields were grown hydroponically and PS exudation (LC-MS) and root gene expression (RNAseq) were determined after either Fe, Zn, or Cu starvation. The response strength of the PS pathway was micronutrient dependent and decreased in the order Fe > Zn > Cu deficiency. We observed a stronger expression of PS pathway genes and greater PS exudation in the barley line with large micronutrient grain yield suggesting that a highly expressed PS pathway might be an important trait involved in high micronutrient accumulation. In addition to several metal specific transporters, we also found that the expression of IRO2 and bHLH156 transcription factors was not only induced under Fe but also under Zn and Cu deficiency. Our study delivers important insights into the role of the PS pathway in the acquisition of different micronutrients.

The study about the fish nutrients is an ongoing area of research in India and abroad. The nutritional value of a fish includes the biochemical analysis with respect to the proximate composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid profile, mineral and vitamin contents. Fishes are vitally proteinous food for human consumption. Many other health nutrients like fatty acids, vitamins, minerals etc. are provided by fishes. The biochemical composition of fishes are varied by the changes of environment, season, age, sex etc. Especially the small fishes are more appreciated by the rural poor people due to their ease of availability and comparatively lower price. Large popular fishes are too costly to be included in the regular diet of poor people. Owing to their high market value these have already gained importance in the field of commercialization as well as scientific investigation. Previous literatures witnessed a lot of nutritional excellence of the big fishes. But, so far the small fishes were less studied inspite of good nutritional contents possessed by them. The Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam is blessed with myriads of riverline and beels which are highly productive ecosystems. Plenty of fishes inhibit in the rivers, ponds, beels and many other wetlands of this area. However, biochemical analysis of the nutritional value of these fishes were lesser known. The objective of writing this book is to ensure about the nutritional values of some small indigenous fishes of the study area and create an awareness about human health and nutrition in connection with consumption of such food fishes in our daily diet. The author regrets for printing mistakes (if any) and request the readers to bring them into the notice.

Delivering micronutrients to people who may not have easy access to varied meals and other micronutrient treatments is attainable and affordable through biofortification. The effectiveness of this agriculture-based approach to alleviating micronutrient deficiency through plant breeding has been shown through research initiatives. Currently, biofortified crops are grown and consumed by further than 20 million individuals living in agrarian households in developing nations.  Since the Sustainable development goals’ targets were established, it has been of the utmost importance. Malnutrition manifests itself in a variety of ways, including undernourishment, obesity and overeating, and salutary-affiliated illnesses that aren’t transmissible. important of the world’s population is affected by micronutrient deficiencies, which are shortfalls from the norm for vital minerals including zinc, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and iodine. Biofortification is a likely solution to end starvation because it’s sustainable, affordable, and profitable. It’s a food-based method, and a former study has shown that it greatly raises nutrient levels. still, for biofortification to be effective, it needs to be adopted, scaled up, and used by the applicable stakeholders to meet the target set by 2030.  This chapter provides an overview of the value of biofortification to human health.

Yellow pigment content, mainly due to the accumulation of carotenoids, is a quality trait in durum wheat grain as it confers the bright yellow color to pasta preferred by consumers. Also, carotenoids are essential nutrients exerting important biological functions in human health. Consequently, biofortification strategies have been developed in many crops to increase carotenoid content. In this context, carotenoid esterification is emerging as a new breeding target for wheat biofortification, as carotenoid esters have been found to promote both carotenoid accumulation and stability. Until recently, no carotenoid esters have been identified in significant proportions in durum wheat grains, and interspecific breeding programs have been started to transfer esterification ability from common wheat and Hordeum chilense.In this work, XAT-7A1 is identified as the gene responsible for carotenoid esterification in durum wheat. Sequencing, copy number variation and mapping results show that XAT-7A1 is organized as tandem or proximal GDSL esterase/lipase copies in chromosome 7A. Three XAT-7A1 haplotypes are described: Type 1 copies, associated with high levels of carotenoid esters (diesters and monoesters) production and high expression in grain development; Type 2 copies, present in landraces with low levels of carotenoid esters (monoesters) or no esters; and Type 3 copies, without the signal peptide, resulting in zero-ester phenotypes.The identification of XAT-7A1 is a necessary step to make the carotenoid esterification ability available for durum and bread wheat breeding, which should be focused on the Type 1 XAT-7A1 haplotype, which may be assessed as a single gene since XAT-7A1 copies are inherited together.

Providing the world’s population with sufficient and nutritious food through sustainable food systems is a major challenge of the twenty-first century. Fertilizer use is a major driver of crop yield, but a comprehensive synthesis of the effect of fertilizer on the nutritional quality of food crops is lacking. Here we performed a comprehensive global meta-analysis using 7859 data pairs from 551 field experiment-based articles published between 1972 and 2022, assessing the contribution of fertilization with a wide set of plant nutrients to the nutritional quality of food crops (i.e., fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses/oil crops, and sugar crops). On average, fertilizer application improved crop yield by 30.9% (CI: 28.2–33.7%) and nutritional quality (referring to all nutritionally relevant components assessed; carbohydrates, proteins, oil, vitamin C, representative mineral nutrients, and total soluble solids) by 11.9% (CI: 10.7–12.1%). The improvements were largely nutrient- and crop species dependent, with vegetables being the most responsive. Potassium, magnesium, and micronutrients played important roles in promoting crop nutritional quality, whereas the combined application of inorganic and organic source(s) had the greatest impact on quality. Desirable climatic conditions and soil properties (i.e., silt loam, soil organic matter 2.5–5.0%, and pH 4.5–8.5) supported further enhancements. Considering cross-continent responsiveness, the increase in the nutritional quality of food crops with fertilizer application was greatest in Africa. In a nutshell, our findings pave the way towards a quantitative understanding of nutrient management programs and responsible plant nutrition solutions that foster the sustainable production of nutritious and healthy food crops for human consumption.

Rice is the staple food crop for more than half of the world population. Thus, rice varieties enriched with various micronutrients qualifies as a better alternative to combat micronutrient deficiency. The present investigation was undertaken to study the degree and direction of association for grain characters especially grain Zinc (Zn) content and grain Iron (Fe) content in 30 genotypes of rice. The correlation coefficient analysis findings at the phenotypic level were used to determine whether the various traits were correlated with yield and the significance of the relationship among them. This data shows significant positive correlation at the phenotypic and genotypic level for grain yield per plant with days to 50% flowering (0.356 & 0.373), number of panicles per plant (0.340 & 0.522), panicle length (0.293 & 0.356), test weight (0.307 & 0.346) and kernel breadth (0.283 & 0.339). The signs (positive or negative) reflect the consequence of increasing or decreasing one variable over the other. The traits plant height ((-0.399 & -0.410) and kernel L/B ratio (-0.237 & -0.291) showed negative correlation with yield indicating that shorter plants as well as grains having shorter length with more breadth are more likely to produce more yield thus selection should be carried out against height . One possible reason for this could be that in plants with shorter stature have higher nutrient use efficiency and are resistant to lodging. The traits days to 50% flowering, number of panicles per plant, panicle length, and test weight and kernel breadth showed positive correlation indicating that selection towards higher values for these traits would consequently improve the yield. It was also found that the traits Zn and Fe content were positively correlated with each other implying that simultaneous selection of these traits could be done for the purpose of biofortification.

Background: Biofortification, the process of enhancing the micronutrient content of staple crops, is a nutrition-sensitive agricultural intervention with the potential to increase micronutrient intakes and improve health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. Although data are available on the number of farming households that grow biofortified crops, information on the coverage of biofortified foods in the general population is limited. Such information is critical to assess the performance of biofortification programs and guide decisions related to program implementation while ascertaining progress toward achieving expected impacts. Objective: This study aimed to assess the household coverage of iron-biofortified beans (IBBs) in rural areas of the Northern Province of Rwanda. Methods: We applied methods previously used to assess coverage in large-scale food fortification programs to develop coverage indicators for IBBs. These indicators were 1) consumption of beans in any form; 2) awareness of IBBs; 3) availability of IBBs; 4) consumption of IBBs (ever); and 5) consumption of IBBs (current). Results: Of the 535 households surveyed, 98% consumed beans in any form and 79% were aware of IBBs. Among the 321 households that provided bean samples, only 40% of the samples were biofortified (as determined by a breeding specialist) and only 21% of respondents were able to correctly identify IBBs. Although 52% of households reported to be ever consuming biofortified beans, only 10% of households were currently consuming these beans. Conclusions: Despite relatively high awareness of IBBs among surveyed households, a few households currently consume IBBs, highlighting the need to explore strategies to promote consumption. More research is also required to investigate factors hindering the consumption of IBBs. © 2023

Iodine deficiency occurs when iodine levels in the soil are inadequate, resulting in limited crop uptake and, as a result, a population with insufficient iodine intake. Iodine deficiency can be avoided by biofortifying commonly consumed crops with iodine. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of iodine biofortification on the nutrient uptake of fruits and plants of ‘shivam’ hybrid tomato. Potassium iodate and chitosan were applied in the form of soil, foliar, and chitosan iodate complex with control comprising 16 treatments (T1 to T16) at different stages of plant growth. Iodine accumulation in tomato fruits and plants was achieved by combining foliar and iodine chitosan forms as electrostatic interaction between chitosan and iodate prevents volatilization and gradually increases the bioavailability of iodine from soil to fruits. Biofortification of iodine throughT14- Chitosan-KIO3Complex (CsKIO3) - (SA)-10Kgha-1 + FA-KIO3-0.3% @ 60 and 90 DAT the iodine content in tomato fruit at green (0.95ppm), pink (1.01ppm) and red ripen (0.99ppm) stages of tomato and introducing it in present-day daily diet may help to reduce iodine deficiency disorder. Iodine biofortification also influenced the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in plants and fruits of tomatoes.

Allium species are known as a rich source of many compounds with potential healing effects. Biofortification is recognized as an effective agrotechnical measure for raising the level of biogenic elements—especially microelements in the edible parts of these species, so Allium can be considered as a ‘natural dietary supplement’. The aim of this research was to test the effects of foliar application of Se fertilizer (Na2SeO4) in different doses (control—0, 10, 20 and 30 g per ha) on the content of macro, microelements and secondary metabolites (SMs)—free phenolics, flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in the edible parts, i.e., leaves of two selected Allium species in Serbia (A. odorum and A. schoenoprasum), which grew in open field conditions over the course of two growing seasons. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), as an indicator of the ability of plants to accumulate biogenic elements, was also determined. Although with no full regularity, the dose of 10 g of Se per ha yielded the highest content for the most biogenic elements for both alliums in the first growing season, i.e., a dose of 20 g of Se per ha for A. schoenoprasum, and a dose of 30 g of Se per ha for A. odorum in the second growing season. The obtained results justified the Se-biofortification of different alliums. The BAF values indicated the ability of both Allium species to accumulate S, K and P in their leaves during both growing seasons. The accumulation of potentially toxic elements was not recorded for either species, emphasizing the safety of the produced plant material for human consumption. Additionally, Se-treated plants had higher SM contents compared to control plants. The growing season also showed an impact on SM content; i.e., in the second season, characterized as drought-stressed, the synthesis of SMs was significantly higher compared to that in the first season. Further research should be directed towards finding the appropriate dose of Se, expanded in the sense of conducti

Rice is the staple food crop for more than half of the world population. Thus, rice varieties enriched with various micronutrients qualifies as a better alternative to combat micronutrient deficiency. The present investigation was undertaken to study the variability, heritability and genetic divergence for grain characters especially grain Zinc (Zn) content and grain Iron (Fe) content in 30 genotypes of rice. Among the 30 genotypes that were under investigation, the Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) values were found to be higher than that of Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) values for all the traits. High heritability (>60%) was observed for all the studied traits. Days to 50% flowering showed highest heritability (99.1%) followed by test weight (94.8%) and grain Fe content (94.8%). The genetic advance as percent of mean ranged between medium (10%-20%) to high (>20%) with grain yield per plant showing the highest GAM (40.84%) followed by test weight (38.56%) and grain Zn content (33.73%). These 30 genotypes were assigned into groups of 11 clusters using Tocher’s method. Cluster I comprised of the most number of genotypes with 18 genotypes followed by Cluster V with 3 genotypes while the remaining 9 clusters were monogenotypic. Days to 50% flowering was found to have the highest contribution towards genetic divergence. These findings indicated that the genotypes under study have sufficient trait variability and varietal diversity which could be exploited in crop improvement programmes aimed at developing Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe) biofortified varieties.

Bread wheat has traditionally been selected for whitish derived flours. As a consequence, the current varieties carry carotenogenic alleles associated with low grain carotenoid. In contrast, high grain yellow pigment content (YPC) has been a major target in durum wheat programs since yellow colour is an important aesthetic factor for pasta production. Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy1) genes have an important role in the determination of the carotenoid content in wheat. In this work, we have transferred the genes Psy1-A1 and Psy1-B1 from durum to bread wheat by inter-specific hybridization in order to evaluate the combined effect of these genes for the improvement of grain carotenoid content, as well as the development of carotenoid-enriched bread wheat lines. Inter-specific breeding coupled with a MAS approach based on Psy1-A1 and Psy1-B1 alleles has allowed the development of bread wheat pre-breeding lines with enhanced grain carotenoid content (16-23% mean). These biofortified lines have the potential to become new varieties or to be used as recurrent parents in bread wheat breeding programs.

Due to problems with selenium deficiency in humans, the search for new organic molecules containing this element in plant biofortification process is highly required. Selenium organic esters evaluated in this study (E-NS-4, E-NS-17, E-NS-71, EDA-11, and EDA-117) are based mostly on benzoselenoate scaffolds, with some additional halogen atoms and various functional groups in the aliphatic side chain of different length, while one compound contains a phenylpiperazine moiety (WA-4b). In our previous study, the biofortification of kale sprouts with organoselenium compounds (at the concentrations of 15 mg/L in the culture fluid) strongly enhanced the synthesis of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. Thus, the study aimed to discover the relationships between molecular characteristics of the organoselenium compounds used and the amount of sulfur phytochemicals in kale sprouts. The statistical partial least square model with eigenvalues equaled 3.98 and 1.03 for the first and second latent components, respectively, which explained 83.5% of variance in the predictive parameters, and 78.6% of response parameter variance was applied to reveal the existence of the correlation structure between molecular descriptors of selenium compounds as predictive parameters and biochemical features of studied sprouts as response parameters (correlation coefficients for parameters in PLS model in the range—0.521 ÷ 1.000). This study supported the conclusion that future biofortifiers composed of organic compounds should simultaneously contain nitryl groups, which may facilitate the production of plant-based sulfur compounds, as well as organoselenium moieties, which may influence the production of low molecular weight selenium metabolites. In the case of the new chemical compounds, environmental aspects should also be evaluated.

Higher dietary intakes of flavonoids may have a beneficial role in cardiovascular disease prevention. Additionally, supplementation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in vegan diets can reduce risks associated to their deficiency, particularly in older adults, which can cause loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass. Most plant-derived foods contain only small amounts of BCAAs, and those plants with high levels of flavonoids are not eaten broadly. Here we describe the generation of metabolically engineered cisgenic tomatoes enriched in both flavonoids and BCAAs. In this approach, coding and regulatory DNA elements, all derived from the tomato genome, were combined to obtain a herbicide-resistant version of an acetolactate synthase (mSlALS) gene expressed broadly and a MYB12-like transcription factor (SlMYB12) expressed in a fruit-specific manner. The mSlALS played a dual role, as a selectable marker as well as being key enzyme in BCAA enrichment. The resulting cisgenic tomatoes were highly enriched in Leucine (21-fold compared to wild-type levels), Valine (ninefold) and Isoleucine (threefold) and concomitantly biofortified in several antioxidant flavonoids including kaempferol (64-fold) and quercetin (45-fold). Comprehensive metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the biofortified cisgenic tomatoes revealed marked differences to wild type and could serve to evaluate the safety of these biofortified fruits for human consumption.

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles were doped with zinc ions to produce multifunctional nanomaterials for efficient agronomic fortification and protection of plants. The resulting round-shaped nanoparticles (nanoZn) were composed of 20.3 wt % Ca, 14.8 wt % P, and 13.4 wt % Zn and showed a pH-controlled solubility. NanoZn were stable in aqueous solutions at neutral pH but dissolved in citric acid at pH 4.5 (i.e., the pH inside tomato fruits), producing a pH-responsive delivery of the essential nutrients Ca, P, and Zn. In fact, the foliar application of nanoZn on tomato plants provided tomatoes with the highest Zn, Ca, and P contents (causing, respectively, a 65, 65, and 15% increase with respect to a conventional treatment with ZnSO4) and the highest yields. Additionally, nanoZn (100 ppm of Zn) inhibited in vitro the growth of Pseudomonas syringae (Ps), the main cause of bacterial speck, and significantly reduced Ps incidence and mortality in tomato seeds, previously inoculated with the pathogen. Therefore, nanoZn present dual agricultural applicability, enriching crops with nutrients with important metabolic functions in humans and simultaneously protecting the plants against important bacterial-based diseases, with considerable negative impact in crop production.

Zinc acts as an important cofactor in the body and is essential for normal functions. Several zinc interventions have been implemented worldwide to improve the public's zinc status, but limited studies have assessed their cost-effectiveness. To help inform decision-making on zinc interventions to maximize benefits within a fixed budget, we took China as an example and evaluated the cost-effectiveness of three interventions, that is, supplementation, food fortification, and biofortification. As an essential group at high risk of zinc deficiency, children aged 5–14 years, who account for 10% of the Chinese population, were selected as the target group in this study. We constructed a decision-analytic Markov model to determine the cost-effectiveness of interventions in China under different scenarios. In our model, biofortification through conventional breeding was shown to be the most cost-effective approach in most scenarios. Compared with other interventions, zinc supplementation gained fewer quality-adjusted life years at a higher net cost, suggesting that this common approach may not be optimal for large-scale, long-term implementation at the national level. While the robustness of the results was further confirmed by the sensitivity analysis, more research is needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of addressing zinc deficiency with other interventions. Further clinical trials are also expected to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc interventions in reducing pneumonia cases [EconLit Citations: I18, Q16, Q18].

Micronutrient deficiency remains a global health challenge, especially in developing countries, despite government and development partners programs, numerous policies, and interventions to decrease its prevalence. Micronutrient deficiency adversely affects pregnancy, child growth, disease susceptibility, and cognitive development. Populations suffer from deficiencies due to low intake of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin A and iodine in their diets. Therefore, many interventions and policies have aimed at increasing the intake of micronutrients by the target populations. Some of these interventions include fortification, that is to increase the micronutrient content of foods or condiments, biofortification which entails breeding staple crops with higher content of bioavailable micronutrients, supplementation, and dietary diversity. These interventions face numerous challenges to scale to larger populations mainly because of behavioural attributes, prices, and governance challenges. The importance of prices stretches from academia to policymakers because of its substantial impact on the consumption behaviour of poor households affecting micronutrient intake. Existing literature on prices concentrated on the cost of micronutrient-dense foods compared to starchy staple foods and the price change for different food items. The second challenge in the scaling of interventions is governance challenges. Governance challenges exist in formal and informal institutions affecting the value chain for biofortified seeds or foods. These challenges jeopardize positive development outcomes and may as well pose significant obstacles to scaling the use of biofortified seed and food. Lastly, there has been a growing focus on the involvement of aggregators, processors, and retailers in the development of food value chains in low-income countries, yet the role of supply contracts is unknown. The objectives of this thesis are threefold: 1) to estimate the long-term trends in pri, Mikronährstoffmangel stellt nach wie vor ein globales Gesundheitsproblem dar, vor allem in Entwicklungsländern, trotz zahlreicher Maßnahmen, Interventionen und Programmen von Regierungen und Entwicklungsorganisationen zur Reduzierung der Verbreitung. Mikronährstoffmangel wirkt sich negativ auf die Schwangerschaft, das Wachstum des Kindes, die Anfälligkeit für Krankheiten und die kognitive Entwicklung aus. Eine Bevölkerung leidet unter Mikronährstoffmangel, weil sie zu wenig Eisen, Zink, Vitamin A und Jod mit der Nahrung aufnimmt und die Mikronährstoffe aus den Darmwänden entweichen. Daher zielen viele Interventionen und Maßnahmen darauf ab, die Aufnahme von Mikronährstoffen zu erhöhen. Einige dieser Maßnahmen umfassen 1) die Anreicherung; die Erhöhung des Mikronährstoffgehalts von Lebensmitteln oder Zutaten, 2) die Biofortifikation, die Züchtung von Grundnahrungsmitteln mit höherem Mikronährstoffgehalt, und 3) die Supplementierung, die Einnahme von Kapseln oder Nahrungsmitteln, die die Vielfalt der Mikronährstoffe und der Ernährung erhöhen sollen. Diese Maßnahmen stehen vor zahlreichen Herausforderungen bei der Ausweitung auf größere Bevölkerungsgruppen, vor allem aufgrund von Verhaltensmerkmalen, Preisen und Governance-Problemen. Die Bedeutung der Preise reicht von der Wissenschaft bis hin zu politischen Entscheidungsträgern, da sie das Konsumverhalten armer Haushalte und damit die Aufnahme von Mikronährstoffen erheblich beeinflussen. Die vorhandene Literatur über Preise konzentriert sich auf die Kosten von Nahrungsmitteln mit hohem Mikronährstoffgehalt im Vergleich zu stärkehaltigen Grundnahrungsmitteln und auf die Preisveränderungen bei verschiedenen Nahrungsmitteln. Die zweite Herausforderung bei der Skalierung von Interventionen sind Governance-Probleme. Diese bestehen bei formellen und informellen Institutionen, die zur Wertschöpfungskette für biofortifiziertes Saatgut oder Nahrungsmittel beitragen. Diese Herausforderungen gefährden positive Entwicklungsergebn

Biofortification has been widely used to increase mineral nutrients in staple foods, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum). In this study, a new approach has been used by analyzing the effect of inoculation with a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), namely, Bacillus aryabhattai RSO25 and the addition of 1% (v/v) of organometallic Fe-containing polymeric nanoparticles (FeNPs) alone and in combination. Previously, the minimal inhibitory concentration of FeNPs for the bacterium was determined in order not to inhibit bacterial growth. All treatments had minor effects on seed germination and plant survival. Considering the physiology of plants, several photosynthetic parameters were significantly improved in individual treatments with FeNPs or the bacterium, particularly the efficiency of the photosystem II and the electron transport rate, which is indicative of a better photosynthetic performance. However, at the end of the experiment, a significant effect on final plant growth was not observed in shoots or in roots. When using FeNPs alone, earlier spike outgrow was observed and the final number of spikes increased by 20%. Concerning biofortification, FeNPs increased the concentration of Fe in spikes by 35%. In fact, the total amount of Fe per plant base rose to 215% with regard to the control. Besides, several side effects, such as increased Ca and decreased Na and Zn in spikes, were observed. Furthermore, the treatment with only bacteria decreased Na and Fe accumulation in grains, indicating its inconvenience. On its side, the combined treatment led to intermediate Fe accumulation in spikes, since an antagonist effect between RSO25 and FeNPs was observed. For this reason, the combined treatment was discouraged. In conclusion, of the three treatments tested, FeNPs alone is recommended for achieving efficient Fe biofortification in wheat.

Biofortification is a long-term strategy of delivering more iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) to those most in need. Plant breeding programs within the CGIAR and NARS have made major advances in Fe- and Zn-dense variety development and there have been successful releases of new biofortified varieties. Recent research effort has led to a substantial improvement in our knowledge of Fe and Zn homeostasis and gene regulation, resulting in the identification of candidate genes for marker assisted selection. International cooperation between the agricultural and nutrition community has been strengthened, with numerous implementation and partnership strategies developed and employed over the years. The evidence on the effectiveness of Fe and Zn biofortified crops is slowly building up and the results are encouraging. Biofortification continues to be scaled out and further work is required to reach the general aim of eradicating the hidden hunger of Fe and Zn deficiency in the world’s population and ensuring nutritional security.

Zinc, through its structural and cofactor roles, affects a broad range of critical physiological functions, including growth, metabolism, immune and neurological functions. Zinc deficiency is widespread among populations around the world, and it may, therefore, underlie much of the global burden of malnutrition. Current zinc fortification strategies include biofortification and fortification with zinc salts with a primary focus on staple foods, such as wheat or rice and their products. However, zinc fortification presents unique challenges. Due to the influences of phytate and protein on zinc absorption, successful zinc fortification strategies should consider the impact on zinc bioavailability in the whole diet. When zinc is absorbed with food, shifts in plasma zinc concentrations are minor. However, co-absorbing zinc with food may preferentially direct zinc to cellular compartments where zinc-dependent metabolic processes primarily occur. Although the current lack of sensitive biomarkers of zinc nutritional status reduces the capacity to assess the impact of fortifying foods with zinc, new approaches for assessing zinc utilization are increasing. In this article, we review the tools available for assessing bioavailable zinc, approaches for evaluating the zinc nutritional status of populations consuming zinc fortified foods, and recent trends in fortification strategies to increase zinc absorption.

Soybean is a major crop in Brazil and is usually grown in oxidic soils that need high rates of phosphate (P) fertilizers. Soybean is also very suitable for biofortification with Se, since its grains have high protein contents and are widely consumed worldwide (directly or indirectly). Few studies have addressed Se application under field conditions for soybean biofortification, especially in tropical soils. Here, we evaluated agronomic and physiological responses resulting from different strategies for biofortifying soybean grains with Se by applying this element via soil, using both conventional and enhanced-efficiency P fertilizers as Se carriers. The experiment was carried out at the Uva Farm, in Capão Bonito (São Paulo), Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block split-plot design, with four fertilizer sources-conventional monoammonium phosphate (C-MAP), conventional monoammonium phosphate + Se (C-MAP + Se), enhanced-efficiency monoammonium phosphate (E-MAP), and enhanced-efficiency monoammonium phosphate + Se (E-MAP + Se), and four soybean genotypes (M5917, 58I60 LANÇA, TMG7061, and NA5909). The selenium rate applied via C-MAP + Se and E-MAP + Se was 80 g ha-1. The application of the tested fertilizers was carried out at the sowing of the 2018/2019 cropping season, with their residual effect being also assessed in the 2019/2020 cropping season. Selenium application increased grain yield for the TMG7061 genotype. For all evaluated genotypes, Se content in grains increased in the 2018/2019 harvest with the application of Se via C-MAP + Se and E-MAP + Se. In general, the application of Se via C-MAP favored an increase in amino acid contents in grains and decreased lipid peroxidation. In summary, the application of Se-enriched P fertilizers via soil increased soybean grain yield, leading to better grain quality. No residual effects for biofortifying soybean grains were detected in a subsequent soybean cropping season.

Selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) are essential micronutrients that are often lacking in the diet of humans and animals. Application of mineral Se and Zn fertilizers into soils may lead to a waste of Se and Zn due to the fast leaching and low utilization by plants. Slow-release Se and Zn biofertilizer may therefore be beneficial. This study aims to assess the potential of SeZn-enriched duckweed and sludge produced from wastewater as slow-release Se and Zn biofertilizers. Pot experiments with green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and sampling of Rhizon soil pore water were conducted to evaluate the bioavailability of Se and Zn in sandy and loamy soils mixed with SeZn-enriched duckweed and sludge. Both the Se and Zn concentrations in the soil pore water increased upon amending the two biomaterials. The concentration of Se released from SeZn-enriched duckweed rapidly decreased in the first 21 days and slowly declined afterwards, while it remained stable during the entire experiment upon application of SeZn-enriched sludge. The Zn content in the soil pore water gradually increased over time. The application of SeZn-enriched duckweed and sludge significantly increased the Se concentrations in plant tissues, in particular in the form of organic Se-methionine in seeds, without a negative impact on plant growth when an appropriate dose was applied (1 mg Se/kg soil). While, it did not increase Zn concentrations in plant seeds. The results indicate that the SeZn-enriched duckweed and sludge could be only used as organic Se biofertilizers for Se-deficient soils. Particularly, the SeZn-enriched sludge dominated with elemental nano-Se was an effective Se source and slow-release Se biofertilizer. These results could offer a theoretical reference to choose an alternative to chemical Se fertilizers for biofortification, avoiding the problem of Se losses by leaching from mineral Se fertilizers while recovering resources from wastewater. This could contribute to the driver for a future circular, This work has been financially supported by the Special Research Fund (BOF: BOFCHN2017000801) from Ghent University (Belgium), the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC:201606030023) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.42207475). Ivet Ferrer is grateful to the Government of Catalonia (Consolidated Research Group 2017 SGR 1029). The authors acknowledge Ana María Murillo Abril, Amelia Parao, Pieter Tack, Karel Folens for their assistance with the lab work, as well as the DUBBLE staff for their support during synchrotron experiments at ESRF., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

The work presents findings from our and other researcher investigations, carried out on different cultivars using some non-standard fertilizers (preferentially based on plant phytohormones, amino acids ant plant and other extracts). The work demonstrates that these non-standard fertilizers is highly effective in biofortification (increasing the nutritional value of food of plant origin) in different crops. Also, natural origin of these non-standard fertilizers makes it suitable for use in organic agriculture. Furthermore, it also contributes to improving yield and different plant physiological and growth parameters. Additionally, that non-standard fertilizers induce excellent resistance crops to abiotic stresses connected with heavy metals and other toxic elements, which makes them suitable for the program of phytoremediation of polluted soil.

Background: Despite micronutrient supplementation and food fortification strategies carried out for decades, micronutrient deficiencies remain prevalent among children under 5 years old in rural area in Senegal. The OR4FOOD project was implemented as a preventive and long-term approach to reduce malnutrition through biofortification. Objective: We aimed to assess the baseline dietary intakes and nutritional status of the mother-child (6-23 months old) pair in a rural community in Senegal. Methods: Dietary intakes were assessed using dietary recall questionnaires and weight food records. All foods and beverages consumed from waking to bedtime were quantified, and nutrient intakes were calculated. The nutritional status was measured by anthropometry. Results: Results showed that 77.2% of children had low dietary diversity score. Only 18% of them received an appropriate complementary feeding according to the minimum acceptable diet. Cereals and legumes were among the most consumed food groups, whereas orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and animal food products were rarely consumed. Median dietary intakes of iron, zinc, and vitamin A were lower than the recommended dietary allowances. Acute malnutrition and stunting affected 14.6% and 16.9% of children, respectively. Overall, 20.8% of mothers were underweighted, and overweight/obesity affected 23.1% of them. Conclusion: Malnutrition remains prevalent in rural areas of Senegal and affects both mothers and children. Furthermore, their nutrient requirements were not covered by the diet. Millet and cowpea being widely consumed, optimizing their iron and zinc content through biofortification and the introduction of OFSP might improve micronutrient intakes and would be promising strategies to prevent child malnutrition.

An iodine biofortification experiment was conducted by applying potassium iodate fertilizer in soil and foliar form and chitosan complex forms to investigate the growth, yield, quality and uptake of iodine in shivam hybrid of tomato in Palaviduthi soil series of Coimbatore region. Soil fertilization alone resulted in lower uptake of iodine in fruits because the iodine is susceptible to high volatilization and less phytoavailability and also resulted in less yield and poor quality of fruits. When the chitosan and potassium iodate were applied in combination through foliar form, the quality of the fruits was found to be superior (carotene-1.24 mg 100gm-1 ascorbic acid- 3.56 mg 100gm-1, titrable acidity-0.96%), with higher fruit yield (94.81 t ha-1) and uptake of iodine in fruits (0.99ppm). Potassium iodate alone, either in the form of soil or foliar application, increased the quality of fruits, but it did not prevent the loss of various pigments and acids during ripening and also the loss of iodine through volatilization. But chitosan conserved the losses by reducing the respiration rate and oxygen permeability. Further, chitosan formed an electrostatic interaction with potassium iodate, preventing volatilisation and gradually increasing the bioavailability of iodine from soil to fruits. Hence biofortifying iodine in the form of potassium iodate chitosan complex was preferred for enhancing yield, improving quality and increasing the iodine content in fruits.

Gene expression manipulation of specific metabolic pathways can be used to obtain bioaccumulation of valuable molecules and desired quality traits in plants. A single-gene approach to impact different traits would be greatly desirable in agrospace applications, where several aspects of plant physiology can be affected, influencing growth. In this work, MicroTom hairy root cultures expressing a MYB-like transcription factor that regulates the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in Petunia hybrida (PhAN4), were considered as a testbed for bio-fortified tomato whole plants aimed at agrospace applications. Ectopic expression of PhAN4 promoted biosynthesis of anthocyanins, allowing to profile 5 major derivatives of delphinidin and petunidin together with pelargonidin and malvidin-based anthocyanins, unusual in tomato. Consistent with PhAN4 features, transcriptomic profiling indicated upregulation of genes correlated to anthocyanin biosynthesis. Interestingly, a transcriptome reprogramming oriented to positive regulation of cell response to biotic, abiotic, and redox stimuli was evidenced. PhAN4 hairy root cultures showed the significant capability to counteract reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and protein misfolding upon high-dose gamma irradiation, which is among the most potent pro-oxidant stress that can be encountered in space. These results may have significance in the engineering of whole tomato plants that can benefit space agriculture.

Deficiency of Zn in human diet is an emerging health issue in many developing countries across the globe. Agronomic Zn biofortification using diverse Zn fertilization options is being advised for enhancing Zn concentration in the edible portion of rice.A field study was carried out to find out the Zn fertilization effects on biofortification of basmati rice and nutrient use efficiencies in the Himalayan foothills region. Amongst the Zn nutrition treatments, 4.0% Zn-coated urea (ZnCU) + 0.2% Zn foliar spray (FS) using ZnSO4 center dot 7H(2)O recorded the highest grain (3.46 t/ha) and straw (7.93 t/ha) yield of basmati rice. On average, the rice productivity increase due to ZnCU application was ~25.4% over Commercial Urea. Likewise, the same Zn fertilization treatment also resulted in the maximum Zn (35.93 and 81.64 mg/kg) and N (1.19 and 0.45%) concentration in grain and straw of rice, respectively. Moreover, N use efficiency (NUE) was also highest when ZnCU was applied at 4.0% (ZnSO4 center dot 7H(2)O) in comparison to soil application. From the grain quality viewpoint, Zn ferti-fortification had significant effect on elongation ratio and protein concentration of grain only and respective Zn fertilization treatment recorded highest quality parameters 1.90 and 7.44%, respectively. Therefore, ZnCU would be an important low-cost and useful strategy for enhancing yield, NUE and biofortification, and also in minimizing the Zn malnutrition related challenges in human diet in many developing economies.

The human body needs calcium (Ca) to maintain strong bones and teeth and to build a strong structure, helping muscles contract and playing a crucial role in the structural and signalling process. However, low calcium consumption in the diet has related to a variety of disorders in humans, which can have long-term health repercussions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the Ca biofortification capacity of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata) supplied with different Ca-supplying inorganic fertilizer sources at various fixed levels based on soil liming potential grown in open field conditions where four hybrids of cabbage grown in Ca deficient acidic soil. Ca applied as Limestone (CaCO3) (150% and 175% liming potential) and Dolomitic limestone [CaMg(CO3)2]150% liming potential yield high Ca content in cabbage head and foliage (61.3 mg 100 g-1), high glucosinolates content (53.12 mg 100 g-1) and lower oxalate(0.31 mg 100 g-1) that produced firmer head as compared with Ca untreated control which also promoted high market value for Ca biofortified ones. On the other hand, Ca addition leads to lower Fe and Mg content in the cabbage tissues due to an antagonistic effect. All four hybrids of cabbage studied using the agronomic method of biofortification significantly(p≤0.05) improved Ca enrichment (20% more compared to control) without showing any toxicity symptoms making possibility to obtain Ca biofortified cabbage in acidic soil of a hilly ecosystem by application of liming.

The objective was to quantify the nutritional contents in seeds of different advanced genotypes of cowpea bean (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in the soil of Montería-Córdoba, Colombia. Seeds of 40 lines or genotypes and two commercial varieties Caupicor 50 and ICA Betancí were evaluated as controls. A completely randomized block design was used with three repetitions for a total of 126 experimental units. The seeds were initially subjected to drying in a forced circulation oven at 70 ° C for 72 hours to quantify the nutritional content. The final nitrogen content was evaluated by initially submitting the seeds to digestion in concentrated sulfuric acid for 4 hours. It was subsequently quantified using the Kjeldahl method. Finally, to determine the content of microelements, 1 g of seed was subjected to digestion with nitric, perchloric acid (3:1), and they were quantified in a piece of atomic adsorption equipment. With the information recorded in the laboratory, an analysis of variance, contrasts, and tests of Tukey averages was performed at a 5% probability. The results indicate that it existed genetic variability and genotypes LC-041-016 and LC021016 were identified with 29.2 and 29.1%, with the highest protein content, being superior to Caupicor 50 and ICA Betancí that presented contents of 25, 7 and 25.5%. The genotypes L-047 with 216.3, followed by genotypes LCPM35 and LC027016, with 159.5 and 127.3 mg.kg-1 presented the highest iron content, and the commercial witnesses Caupicor 50 and ICA Betancí, content less than the above, and the content zinc and manganese were similar in all genotypes evaluated., El objetivo fue cuantificar los contenidos nutricionales en semillas de diferentes genotipos avanzados de frijol caupí (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) en un suelo de Montería Córdoba, Colombia. Se evaluaron las semillas de 40 genotipos y dos variedades comerciales Caupicor 50 e ICA Betancí como controles. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques completamente al azar con tres (3) repeticiones. Para cuantificar el contenido nutricional, las semillas fueron sometidas inicialmente a secado en horno de circulación forzada a 70 ° C durante 72 horas. El contenido de nitrógeno se evaluó sometiendo inicialmente las semillas a una digestión en ácido sulfúrico concentrado durante 4 horas. Y posteriormente se cuantificó por el método del método Kjeldahl. Finalmente, para determinar el contenido de microelementos, 1 g de semilla se sometió a digestión con ácido perclórico nítrico (3: 1), y se cuantificaron en un equipo de adsorción atómica. Con los datos un análisis de varianza, contrastes y las pruebas de los promedios de tukey se realizaron con una probabilidad del 5%. Los resultados indican que existía variabilidad genética y los genotipos LC-041-016 y LC021016 se identificaron con 29.2 y 29.1%, con el mayor contenido de proteína, siendo superior a Caupicor 50 e ICA Betancí que presentaron contenidos del 25, 7 y 25.5%. Los genotipos L-047 con 216.3, seguidos por LCPM35 y LC027016, con 159.5 y 127.3 mg.kg-1 presentaron el mayor contenido de hierro, que los testigos comerciales Caupicor 50 e ICA Betancí, y los contenidos de zinc y manganeso fueron similares en todos los genotipos evaluados.

Within the nutritionism paradigm, in this article we critically review the marketization and medicalization logics which aim to address the pressing issue of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. Drawing from political economy and food system transformation discourses, we are using the popular intervention types of nutrition-sensitive value chains (marketization logic) and biofortification exemplified through orange-fleshed sweet potato (medicalization logic) to assess their outcomes and underlying logics. We demonstrate that there is insufficient evidence of the positive impact of these interventions on nutritional outcomes, and that their underlying theories of change and impact logics do not deal with the inherent complexity of nutritional challenges. We show that nutrition-sensitive value chain approaches are unable to leverage or enhance the functioning of value chains to improve nutritional outcomes, especially in light of the disproportionate power of some food companies. We further demonstrate that orange-fleshed sweet potato interventions and biofortification more broadly adopt a narrow approach to malnutrition, disregarding the interactions between food components and broader value chain and food system dynamics. We argue that both intervention types focus solely on increasing the intake of specific nutrients without incorporating their embeddedness in the wider food systems and the relevant political-economic and social relations that influence the production and consumption of food. We conclude that the systemic nature of malnutrition requires to be understood and addressed as part of the food system transformation challenge in order to move towards solving it. To do so, new evaluation frameworks along with new approaches to solutions are necessary that support multiple and diverse development pathways, which are able to acknowledge the social, political-economic, and environmental factors and drivers of malnutrition and poverty., Peer Reviewed

Background: Biofortified yellow cassava has been developed to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. We examined the potential contribution of yellow cassava to total Retinol Activity Equivalent (RAE)intake if replacing white by yellow cassava among pre-school Nigerian children. Methods: Dietary intake was assessed as part of a randomized controlled trial. Preschool children (n=176) were randomly assigned to receive either white cassava (WC) or yellow cassava (YC) for 17 weeks. Dietary intakeassessments were conducted during the intervention and one month after, when children had resumed their habitual diet. Differences in RAE intake between groups and time points were compared using a linear mixed model regression analysis. Results: During intervention, median RAE intake was 536 μg/day in the YC group and 301 μg/day in the WC group (p<0.0001). YC contributed 40% tototal RAE intake. Nine percent of children in the YC versus 29% in the WC groups had RAE intake below the Estimated Average Requirement. After intervention, median RAE intake was 300 μg/day and did not differ between intervention groups (p=0.5). The interaction effect of group and time showed a 37% decrease in RAE intake in the YC group after the intervention (Exp(β) = 0.63 [95% CI 0.56, 0.72]). If WC was replaced by YC after intervention, the potential contribution of YC to total RAE intake was estimated to be 32%. Conclusions: Yellow cassava increased total RAE intake andshowed a substantially lower inadequacy of intake. It is therefore recommended as a good source of provitamin A in cassava-consuming regions.

High kernel-zinc maize varieties are available to consumers in several countries in Latin America to contribute to increase the zinc intake of their populations. Minerals, phytic acid and amino acids retention were measured after processing six maize varieties including three high kernel-zinc, one quality protein maize and two conventional maize. Grain for each variety was processed into tortillas, arepas and mazamorra, common maize dishes in the region. To evaluate the effect of processing kernel-zinc maize varieties on zinc retention, varieties were grouped in zinc biofortified maize (ZBM) and non-ZBM. Iron, zinc, phytic acid, tryptophan and lysine concentrations in non-processed maize were 17.1–19.1 ​μg/g DW, 23.9–33.0 ​μg/g DW, 9.9–10.0 ​mg/g DW, 0.06–0.08% and 0.27–0.37%, respectively. In tortillas, the iron, zinc, phytic acid and lysine content did not change (p ​< ​0.05) compared to raw grain, while tryptophan decreased by 32%. True retention of iron in arepas and mazamorra was 43.9 and 60.0%, for zinc 36.8 and 41.3%, and for phytic acid 19.3 and 25.1%. Tortillas had higher zinc retention than arepas and mazamorra due to use of whole grain in the nixtamalization process. Therefore, to contribute to higher zinc intake, nixtamalized tortilla prepared with biofortified zinc maize is recommended. Additionally, promotion of whole grain flour to prepare arepas should be explored to enhance the intake of minerals that are usually confined to aleurone layers and germ.

Background: Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava has the potential to contribute significantly to improve vitamin A status, especially in populations that are difficult to reach with other strategies. Objectives: The study aimed at determining the efficacy of biofortified cassava to improve vitamin A status of Nigerian preschool children. Methods: An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted in southwestern Nigeria. In total, 176 preschool children (aged 3–5 y) were randomized into 2 parallel arms comprising an experimental group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from biofortified (yellow) cassava, and a control group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from white cassava, twice a day, 6 d a week for 93 d. Results: A total of 159 children completed the trial (yellow cassava group, n = 80; white cassava group, n = 79). Children consumed 221 and 74 μg/d retinol activity equivalents from intervention foods in the yellow and white cassava groups, respectively. The treatment effect on serum retinol concentrations at the end of the feeding trial was 0.06 μmol/L (95% CI: 0.004, 0.124 μmol/L), after adjustment for baseline retinol concentrations, inflammation, and asymptomatic malaria status. No significant treatment effects were detected for serum β-carotene (adjusted effect: 3.9%; 95% CI: −0.6%, 8.6%) and gut permeability (adjusted effect: 0.002; 95% CI: −0.089, 0.092), but a significant effect was detected for hemoglobin concentrations (adjusted effect: 3.08 g/L; 95% CI: 0.38, 5.78 g/L). Conclusions: Daily consumption of β-carotene from biofortified cassava improved serum retinol and hemoglobin concentrations modestly in Nigerian preschool children.

Biofortification of basic crops is ideal because of the broader consumption of staple foods by the majority of the population. Beans are one of the main constituents of many Brazilian dishes, for urban and rural populations. Li is essential to the mental and behavioral health of human beings. The objective of this work was to study the assimilation of Lithium (Li) by cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata), with the application of lithium hydroxide (LiOH). The study was carried out in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Tocantins, Campus de Gurupi. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design in a 5 x 3 arrangement, with five doses of Li (0; 10; 20; 30 and 40 mg kg-1); and three cultivars of Caupi beans (BRS Cauamé, BRS Itaim and BRS Nova Era) with four replicates. The application was performed via foliar, and the doses were divided into two applications of equal proportions, spaced in 15 days. Each experimental plot was represented by a vessel containing 10 kg of soil. Stem diameter, number of pods per plant, pod length, number of grains per pod, insertion of the first pod, plant height, mass of 100 grains, grain yield, lithium content, total nitrogen, crude protein and lipid content. The agronomic biofortification with Li occurred positively with the application of up to 26 kg Li ha-1 for the three cultivars, with up to 159.38% increase over the treatment without Li application. The results indicate that it is possible to increase the Li doses in Caupi with the use of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) in foliar fertilization.

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a world-wide problem and this review presents an overview of the magnitude of Zn deficiency with a particular emphasis on present global challenges, current recommendations for Zn intake, and factors that affect - dietary requirements. The challenges of monitoring Zn status are clarified together with the discussion of relevant Zn bioaccessibility and bioavailability issues. Modern lifestyle factors that may exacerbate Zn deficiency and new strategies of reducing its effects are presented. Biofortification, as a potentially useful strategy for improving Zn status in sensitive populations, has been discussed. The review proposes potential actions that could deliver promising results both in terms of monitoring dietary and physiological Zn status as well as in alleviating dietary Zn deficiency in affected populations.

Introduction. Currently, maize is the most cultivated grain in the world and it is feasible to improve the nutrition of its consumers through the development of quality protein maize (QPM), whose basis is the expression of the opaque2 gene, which increases the contents of lysine and tryptophan in the grain. Objective. To analyze chemically the protein of the grain of lines and experimental simple hybrids of QPM and to know the relationships between the genotype and the evaluated variables of protein quality. Materials and methods. The experiments were carried out during 2017 in the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit of Biotechnology of the Instituto Politecnico Nacional (Mexico City). Whole grains of parental lines (P1 to P6) and direct simple hybrids were used. Lysine, tryptophan, and protein quantity and quality were estimated. A completely randomized design with three replications was used. Analysis of variance, comparison of means, and principal component analysis were performed. Results. Lines P2 , P3 , and P6 , and hybrids P2 x P4 and P2 x P6 were identified as significant (p ≤ 0.05) QPM. The protein quality index was correlated with tryptophan (r = 0.9 *) and with lysine (r = 0.7 *) but not with total protein. Conclusions. The fundamental factor for developing the QPM were the essential amino acids and the limiting factor for increasing their nutritional value was the quality of the protein., Introducción. Actualmente el maíz es el grano más cultivado en el mundo y es factible mejorar la nutrición de sus consumidores mediante el desarrollo del maíz con proteína de calidad (QPM, en inglés), cuya base es la expresión del gen opaco2, la cual incrementa los contenidos de lisina y triptófano del grano. Objetivo. Analizar químicamente la proteína del grano de líneas e híbridos simples experimentales de QPM y conocer las relaciones entre el genotipo y las variables evaluadas de la calidad proteica. Materiales y métodos. Los experimentos se efectuaron durante el 2017 en la Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Ciudad de México). Se utilizaron granos enteros de líneas parentales (P1 a P6) y de los híbridos simples directos. Se estimaron lisina, triptófano, y cantidad y calidad de proteína. Se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar con tres repeticiones. Se hicieron análisis de varianza, comparación de medias y análisis de componentes principales. Resultados. Se identificaron como QPM significativos (p ≤ 0,05) a las líneas P2 , P3 y P6 , y a los híbridos P2 x P4 y P2 x P6 . El índice de calidad de proteína se correlacionó con el triptófano (r = 0,9*) y la lisina (r = 0,7*), pero no con la proteína total. Conclusiones. El factor fundamental para desarrollar los QPM fueron los aminoácidos esenciales y la limitante para incrementar su valor nutricional fue la calidad de proteína.

Iron (Fe) is an essential element for the development and physiology of plants, owing to its presence in numerous proteins involved in central biological processes. Here, we established an exhaustive, manually curated inventory of genes encoding Fe-containing proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana, and summarized their subcellular localization, spatiotemporal expression and evolutionary age. We have currently identified 1068 genes encoding potential Fe-containing proteins, including 204 iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins, 446 haem proteins and 330 non-Fe-S/non-haem Fe proteins (updates of this atlas are available at https://conf.arabidopsis.org/display/COM/Atlas+of+Fe+containing+proteins). A fourth class, containing 88 genes for which iron binding is uncertain, is indexed as ‘unclear’. The proteins are distributed in diverse subcellular compartments with strong differences per category. Interestingly, analysis of the gene age index showed that most genes were acquired early in plant evolutionary history and have progressively gained regulatory elements, to support the complex organ-specific and development-specific functions necessitated by the emergence of terrestrial plants. With this gene atlas, we provide a valuable and updateable tool for the research community that supports the characterization of the molecular actors and mechanisms important for Fe metabolism in plants. This will also help in selecting relevant targets for breeding or biotechnological approaches aiming at Fe biofortification in crops.

The nutritional quality of animal products is strongly related to their fatty acid content and composition. Nowadays, attention is paid to the possibility of producing healthier foods of animal origin by intervening in animal feed. In this field, the use of condensed tannins as dietary supplements in animal nutrition is becoming popular due to their wide range of biological effects related, among others, to their ability to modulate the rumen biohydrogenation and biofortify, through the improvement of the fatty acids profile, the derivate food products. Unfortunately, tannins are characterized by strong astringency and low bioavailability. These disadvantages could be overcome through the microencapsulation in protective matrices. With this in mind, the optimal conditions for microencapsulation of a polyphenolic extract rich in condensed tannins by spray drying using a blend of maltodextrin (MD) and gum Arabic (GA) as shell material were investigated. For this purpose, after the extract characterization, through spectrophotometer assays and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight (UHPLC-QTOF) mass spectrometry, a central composite design (CCD) was employed to investigate the combined effects of core:shell and MD:GA ratio on the microencapsulation process. The results obtained were used to develop second-order polynomial regression models on different responses, namely encapsulation yield, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, and tannin content. The formulation characterized by a core:shell ratio of 1.5:5 and MD:GA ratio of 4:6 was selected as the optimized one with a loading capacity of 17.67%, encapsulation efficiency of 76.58%, encapsulation yield of 35.69%, and tannin concentration of 14.46 g/100 g. Moreover, in vitro release under varying pH of the optimized formulation was carried out with results that could improve the use of microencapsulated condensed tannins in animal nutrition for the biofortification of derivates.

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a world-wide problem and this review presents an overview of the magnitude of Zn deficiency with a particular emphasis on present global challenges, current recommendations for Zn intake, and factors that affect - dietary requirements. The challenges of monitoring Zn status are clarified together with the discussion of relevant Zn bioaccessibility and bioavailability issues. Modern lifestyle factors that may exacerbate Zn deficiency and new strategies of reducing its effects are presented. Biofortification, as a potentially useful strategy for improving Zn status in sensitive populations, has been discussed. The review proposes potential actions that could deliver promising results both in terms of monitoring dietary and physiological Zn status as well as in alleviating dietary Zn deficiency in affected populations.

Plants naturally produce a terrific diversity of molecules, which we exploit for promoting our overall well-being. Plants are also green factories. Indeed, they may be exploited to biosynthesize bioactive molecules, proteins, carbohydrates and biopolymers for sustainable and large-scale production. These molecules are easily converted into commodities such as pharmaceuticals, antioxidants, food, feed and biofuels for multiple industrial processes. Novel plant biotechnological, genetics and metabolic insights ensure and increase the applicability of plant-derived compounds in several industrial sectors. In particular, synergy between disciplines, including apparently distant ones such as plant physiology, pharmacology, ‘omics sciences, bioinformatics and nanotechnology paves the path to novel applications of the so-called molecular farming. We present an overview of the novel studies recently published regarding these issues in the hope to have brought out all the interesting aspects of these published studies.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a vitamin of the B group involved in essential biological pathways, including redox reactions and the electron transport chain. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can synthesize riboflavin and this capability is strain-dependent. In the last years, a growing interest has focused on the selection of riboflavin-overproducing food-grade LAB for the vitamin biofortification of fermented foods, as well as for the formulation of innovative functional products., In this chapter we report fast and inexpensive techniques in order to (1) screen LAB isolates able to produce riboflavin from different matrices, (2) select spontaneous roseoflavin-resistant riboflavin overproducing strains, and (3) quantify vitamin B2 in culture media by fluorescence detection., These protocols could be useful to select new overproducing strains and/or species from different ecological niches, as well as to optimize the conditions for vitamin bioproduction.

Zinc is a crucial micronutrient for crop growth and enzymatic regulations. The present study was formulated to reveal the effect of organic fortified Zn composite on growth and yield parameters of green gram in Typic chromustert at Vellakulam village, Kalligudi block, Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. A total of eight treatments with three replications were designed to grow in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The treatments consisted of recommend dose fertilizers (25:50:25 Kg ha-1 N: P2O5: K2O) + various sources organics applied such as vermicompost (1:5), poultry manure (1:5), biochar (1:5), FYM (1:10) incubated with ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University micronutrient mixture enriched with FYM (1:10) for 30 days. Among the treatments, application of RDF (25:50:25 Kg ha-1 N: P2O5: K2O) + soil application of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 incubated with 125 kg Vermicompost (1:5) recorded maximum plant height (64 cm), leaf area index (LAI) (3.11), dry matter production (16.33 g plant-1), pods plant-1 (28.46), grains pod-1 (13.5), test weight (3.48 g), seed yield (950 kg ha-1) and haulm yield (1520 kg ha-1) followed by biochar and TNAU MNM shown on par results with each other. The lowest yield parameters were spotted in absolute control. A considerable increase in yield (25 %) was detected when the crop was supplemented with organically fortified Zinc than the commercial ZnSO4. The study concluded that the application of biofortified Zn will deliver higher growth and yield in green gram.