Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) and Micronutrient Fortification in Food Crops Using Nanoparticle Technology

Abstract

It is necessary to develop a resilient food supply that will withstand unexpected future shocks and deliver the required amounts of nutrients to consumers. By increasing the sustainability of food and agriculture, the food system will be able to handle challenges such as climate change, declining agricultural resources, growing population/urbanization, pandemics, and recessions/shortages. Micronutrient deficiency, otherwise called hidden hunger, is one of the major malnutrition consequences worldwide, particularly in middle- or low- income countries. Unlike essential mineral or nutrient compounds, micronutrients could be less of a priority due to their small levels of requirement. However, insufficient micronutrients caused critical adverse health symptoms and are excessively vital for young children’s development. Therefore, there have been numerous attempts to enhance minerals and nutrients in food crops, including biofortification, food fortification, and supplementation. Based on several interventions involving micronutrients, modern technology, such as nanotechnology, can be applied to enhance sustainability and to reduce the food system’s environmental impact. Previous studies have addressed various strategies or interventions to mitigate major micronutrient deficiency including iron, iodine, zinc, and vitamin A. Comparably small amounts of studies have addressed vitamin B12 deficiency and its fortification in food crops. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes serious adverse health effects, including in the nervous or blood systems, and occurs along with other micronutrient deficiencies, such as folate, iron, and zinc, worldwide, particularly in middle- and low-income countries. Mitigation for B12 deficiency has mainly focused on developing pharmacological and medical treatments such as vitamin B12 serum or supplements. Further studies are required to undertake a sustainable approach to fortify vitamin B12 in plant-based food sources for public health worldwide. This review paper highlights nanoparticle application as a promising technology for enhancing vitamin B12 without conventional genetic modification requirements. The nanoparticle can efficiently deliver the mineral/nutrient using coating techniques to targeted sites into the plant. This is mainly because nanoparticles have better solubility and permeability due to their nano size with high surface exposure. Vitamin B12-coated nanoparticles would be absorbed, translocated, and accumulated by the plant and eventually enhance the bioavailability in food crops. Furthermore, by reducing adverse environmental effects, such as leaching issues that mainly occur with conventional fertilizer usage, it would be possible to develop more sustainable food fortification.

An analytical overview of the composition and characteristics of China's food safety standards

“…47 As necessary additives to foods for infants and young children, middle-aged and elderly people, and in certain efficacious foods, the use of nutritional fortification should be regulated. 48,49 Therefore, China has set strict requirements on the addition of vitamins, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, inositol, biotin, choline, amino acids, functional peptides and minerals. In addition, as for food labels, there are corresponding standards on the materials and product additives in contact with food to further rationalize food production and processing.…”

“…Especially in recent years, due to easier access to media communication, Chinese people have increasing resistance to food additives and are reluctant to buy foods containing large amounts of additives; therefore, it is important to ensure the proper use of food additives and their production 47 . As necessary additives to foods for infants and young children, middle‐aged and elderly people, and in certain efficacious foods, the use of nutritional fortification should be regulated 48,49 . Therefore, China has set strict requirements on the addition of vitamins, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, inositol, biotin, choline, amino acids, functional peptides and minerals.…”

Bioprocess Strategies for Vitamin B12 Production by Microbial Fermentation and Its Market Applications

“…Even in high-income countries, though, there are several population groups at high risk of B 12 deficiency. This specially affects the elderly, with around 20% of people over 60 suffering from it in the USA and in the UK according to the NIH [ 134 ]. In the case of the elderly, deficiency is mostly due to lower intake and a high prevalence of food-bound malabsorption, caused by age-related gastric atrophy and lower IF levels [ 41 , 135 ].…”

Vitamin B12 in Foods, Food Supplements, and Medicines—A Review of Its Role and Properties with a Focus on Its Stability

“…For instance, Carlan et al incorporated CNCbl into modified chitosan microparticles and achieved a ≤ 10% CNCbl loss after 6 months of storage at 25 • C [253], while Mazzocato et al report a ≤ 5% loss of CNCbl incorporated into solid lipid microparticles after 4 months of storage at 25 • C, compared to the ≈25% loss of its free form under the same conditions [254]. Further reduction in the particle size to the nano-scale and the use of nanocarrier-based delivery systems is another promising approach for the improvement of vitamin B 12 stability [256]. In that sense, Britto et al describe the encapsulation of CNCbl into polymeric nanoparticles, formed by chitosan and tripolyphosphate.…”