Improving nutrition through biofortification: A review of evidence from HarvestPlus, 2003 through 2016.

When food systems meet sustainability – Current narratives and implications for actions

Background:Food fortification and biofortification are well-established strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations. However, the effectiveness of fortification progr...

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0379572118774229

Large-Scale Food Fortification and Biofortification in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of Programs, Trends, Challenges, and Evidence Gaps.

Biofortified yellow cassava and vitamin A status of Kenyan children: a randomized controlled trial

Contents 699 I. 699 II. 700 III. 700 IV. 706 V. 707 VI. 714 714 References 714 SUMMARY: Plants make substantial contributions to our health through our diets, providing macronutrients for energy and growth as well as essential vitamins and phytonutrients that protect us from chronic diseases. Imbalances in our food can lead to deficiency diseases or obesity and associated metabolic disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nutritional security is now a global challenge which can be addressed, at least in part, through plant metabolic engineering for nutritional improvement of foods that are accessible to and eaten by many. We review the progress that has been made in nutritional enhancement of foods, both improvements through breeding and through biotechnology and the engineering principles on which increased phytonutrient levels are based. We also consider the evidence, where available, that such foods do enhance health and protect against chronic diseases.

https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/nph.14730

Medicine is not health care, food is health care: plant metabolic engineering, diet and human health.

Background: Biofortification of cassava with pro-vitamin A can potentially reduce vitamin A deficiency in low-income countries. However, little is known about consumer acceptance of this deep yellow variety of cassava compared to the commonly available white varieties. We aimed to determine the sensory and cultural acceptability of the consumption of pro-vitamin A rich cassava in order to identify key factors predicting the intention to consume pro-vitamin A rich cassava by families with school-aged children in Eastern Kenya. Methods: Sensory acceptability was measured by replicated discrimination tests and paired preference tests among 30 children (7-12 yr) and 30 caretakers (18-45 yr) in three primary schools. Cultural acceptability was assessed with a questionnaire based on the combined model of The Theory of Planned Behavior and The Health Belief Model in one primary school among 140 caretakers of children aged 6 to 12 years. Correlations and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations between summed scores for model constructs. Results: Caretakers and children perceived a significant difference in taste between white and pro-vitamin A rich cassava. Both preferred pro-vitamin A rich cassava over white cassava because of its soft texture, sweet taste and attractive color. Knowledge about pro-vitamin A rich cassava and it's relation to health ('Knowledge' ((beta = 0.29, P =

/pdf/biofortified-cassava-with-pro-vitamin-a-is-sensory-and-2vh3u9f5yr.pdf

Gloria N. K. Mbera

Papers

Biofortified yellow cassava and vitamin A status of Kenyan children: a randomized controlled trial

Biofortified Cassava with Pro-Vitamin A Is Sensory and Culturally Acceptable for Consumption by Primary School Children in Kenya

Reply to SA Tanumihardjo et al.