title: Improving iron, zinc and vitamin A nutrition through plant biotechnology.
abstract: Recent understanding of plant metabolism has made it possible to increase the iron, zinc and beta-carotene (provitamin A) content in staple foods by both conventional plant breeding and genetic engineering. Improving the micronutrient composition of plant foods may become a sustainable strategy to combat deficiencies in human populations, replacing or complementing other strategies such as food fortification or nutrient supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, PO Box 474, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland. michael.zimmermann@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hurrell
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004046:Dietetics / Q000379:methods; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012275:Oryza / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D015032:Zinc