Nutritional enhancement of plants.
Plants can provide most of the nutrients required in the human diet; however, the major staple crops are often deficient in some of these nutrients. Thus, malnutrition, with respect to micronutrients like vitamin A, iron and zinc, affects >40% of the world's population. Advances in molecular biology are being exploited to produce crops enhanced in these key nutrients. Other nutritional targets include the modification of fatty acid composition and the enhancement of antioxidant levels, particularly carotenoids, such as lycopene, and flavonoids. However, the benefit of these 'biofortified' crops to human nutrition remains to be elucidated.
Tucker
Greg
G
School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicester, LE12 5RD, UK. gregory.tucker@nottingham.ac.uk
D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001682:Biological Availability; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005527:Food, Fortified; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D000077276:Lycopene; D018977:Micronutrients; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009753:Nutritive Value; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010945:Plants, Edible; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism*; D014810:Vitamin E
D000975:Antioxidants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D018977:Micronutrients; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene