The global challenge of hidden hunger: perspectives from the field

Lowe, Nicola M

doi:10.1017/s0029665121000902

Cited by 138 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Biofortification of staple crops with key micronutrients is an alternative strategy for reaching some of the more remote areas of the country, where food fortification coverage is not practical ( 4 , 5 ). This involves the enhancement of the nutrient content of the crop through traditional selective breeding techniques, genetic modification and/or agronomic techniques including the application of micronutrient fertilisers ( 4 , 6 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofortified Wheat Increases Dietary Zinc Intake: A Randomised Controlled Efficacy Study of Zincol-2016 in Rural Pakistan

Lowe

Zaman²,

Khan

et al. 2022

Front. Nutr.

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A new variety of zinc biofortified wheat (Zincol-2016) was released in Pakistan in 2016. The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of consuming Zincol-2016 wheat flour on biochemical and functional markers of zinc status in a population with widespread zinc deficiency. An individually-randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross over design was used. Fifty households were recruited to participate in the study, with each household included at least one woman of reproductive age (16–49 years) who was neither pregnant nor breast feeding or currently taking nutritional supplements. All households were provided with control flour for an initial 2-week baseline period, followed by the intervention period where households were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive biofortified flour (group A; n = 25) and control flour (group B; n = 25) for 8-weeks, then switched to the alternate flour for 8-weeks. The trial has been registered with the ISRCTN (https://www.isrctn.com), ID ISRCTN83678069. The primary outcome measure was plasma zinc concentration, and the secondary outcome measures were plasma selenium and copper concentrations, plasma copper:zinc ratio and fatty acid desaturase and elongase activity indices. Nutrient intake was assessed using 24-h dietary recall interviews. Mineral concentrations in plasma were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and free fatty acids and sphingolipids by mass spectrometry. Linear Mixed Model regression and General Linear Model with repeated measures were used to analyse the outcomes. Based on an average flour consumption of 224 g/day, Zincol-2016 flour provided an additional daily zinc intake of between 3.0 and 6.0 mg for white and whole grain flour, respectively. No serious adverse events were reported. This resulted in significant, increase in plasma zinc concentration after 4 weeks [mean difference 41.5 μg/L, 95% CI (6.9–76.1), p = 0.02]. This was not present after 8 weeks (p = 0.6). There were no consistent significant effects of the intervention on fatty acid desaturase and elongase activity indices. Regular consumption of Zincol-2016 flour increased the daily zinc intake of women of reproductive age by 30–60%, however this was not associated with a sustained improvement in indices of zinc status.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofortified Wheat Increases Dietary Zinc Intake: A Randomised Controlled Efficacy Study of Zincol-2016 in Rural Pakistan

Lowe

Zaman²,

Khan

et al. 2022

Front. Nutr.

Self Cite

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“…It is estimated that over two billion people worldwide suffer from 'hidden hunger', a deficiency in one or more micronutrients [11]. Deficiencies in Fe, Zn and Co (in the form of Vitamin B12) are amongst the most prevalent, especially in populations where diets mainly consist of cereals and legumes [12][13][14].…”

Section: Micronutrients and Hidden Hungermentioning

confidence: 99%

Micronutrients in Food Production: What Can We Learn from Natural Ecosystems?

Denton-Thompson

Sayer

2022

Soil Systems

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Soil micronutrients limit crop productivity in many regions worldwide, and micronutrient deficiencies affect over two billion people globally. Microbial biofertilizers could combat these issues by inoculating arable soils with microorganisms that mobilize micronutrients, increasing their availability to crop plants in an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective manner. However, the widespread application of biofertilizers is limited by complex micronutrient–microbe–plant interactions, which reduce their effectiveness under field conditions. Here, we review the current state of seven micronutrients in food production. We examine the mechanisms underpinning microbial micronutrient mobilization in natural ecosystems and synthesize the state-of-knowledge to improve our overall understanding of biofertilizers in food crop production. We demonstrate that, although soil micronutrient concentrations are strongly influenced by soil conditions, land management practices can also substantially affect micronutrient availability and uptake by plants. The effectiveness of biofertilizers varies, but several lines of evidence indicate substantial benefits in co-applying biofertilizers with conventional inorganic or organic fertilizers. Studies of micronutrient cycling in natural ecosystems provide examples of microbial taxa capable of mobilizing multiple micronutrients whilst withstanding harsh environmental conditions. Research into the mechanisms of microbial nutrient mobilization in natural ecosystems could, therefore, yield effective biofertilizers to improve crop nutrition under global changes.

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“…A healthy diet containing enough nutrients is vital to health. The lack of macro- and micro-nutrients in diets threatens health [ 1 ], especially in underdeveloped countries where people cannot afford varied diets [ 2 , 3 ]. Rice, wheat, and corn are globally major staple crops.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Nutritional Diversity among Three Staple Crops and Three Fruits

Shi

Guo

Wang

et al. 2022

Foods

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More than 2 billion people worldwide are under threat of nutritional deficiency. Thus, an in-depth comprehension of the nutritional composition of staple crops and popular fruits is essential for health. Herein, we performed LC-MS-based non-targeted and targeted metabolome analyses with crops (including wheat, rice, and corn) and fruits (including grape, banana, and mango). We detected a total of 2631 compounds by using non-targeted strategy and identified more than 260 nutrients. Our work discovered species-dependent accumulation of common present nutrients in crops and fruits. Although rice and wheat lack vitamins and amino acids, sweet corn was rich in most amino acids and vitamins. Among the three fruits, mango had more vitamins and amino acids than grape and banana. Grape and banana provided sufficient 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and vitamin B6, respectively. Moreover, rice and grape had a high content of flavonoids. In addition, the three crops contained more lipids than fruits. Furthermore, we also identified species-specific metabolites. The crops yielded 11 specific metabolites, including flavonoids, lipids, and others. Meanwhile, most fruit-specific nutrients were flavonoids. Our work discovered the complementary pattern of essential nutrients in crops and fruits, which provides metabolomic evidence for a healthy diet.

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The global challenge of hidden hunger: perspectives from the field

Cited by 138 publications

References 41 publications

Biofortified Wheat Increases Dietary Zinc Intake: A Randomised Controlled Efficacy Study of Zincol-2016 in Rural Pakistan

Biofortified Wheat Increases Dietary Zinc Intake: A Randomised Controlled Efficacy Study of Zincol-2016 in Rural Pakistan

Micronutrients in Food Production: What Can We Learn from Natural Ecosystems?

Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Nutritional Diversity among Three Staple Crops and Three Fruits

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