Agricultural Trade and Quality of Nutrition

Abstract

Proper nutrition is not only a biological but also a social, economic, and political issue. Insufficient intake of essential elements may result in the occurrence of hidden hunger and metabolic disorders. Some regions of the world are characterized by a lack of certain nutrients in the environment which leads to their lack in plant and animal products. The most common problem is a deficiency of iodine and selenium. To solve this problem, the government takes various measures, such as direct inclusion of necessary additives in food products, as well as the modernization of technological process of crop and livestock production. In this chapter, the authors analyze the provision of the population in various countries and regions with limiting nutrients. The study specifically aims at exploring the issues of production and trade in fortified (modified) food products that can directly fill in the lack of essential elements in particular territories.