ARS | Publication request: Nutrient biofortification of food crops

Submitted to: Annual Reviews of Nutrition
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: April 28, 2009
Publication Date: August 1, 2009
Repository URL: http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-nutr-080508-141143?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Citation: Hirschi, K.D. 2009. Nutrient biofortification of food crops. Annual Reviews, Inc., U.S.A., 29:401-421.

Technical Abstract: Plant-based foods offer an array of nutrients that are essential for human nutrition and promote good health. However, the major staple crops of the world are often deficient in some of these nutrients. Traditional agricultural approaches can marginally enhance the nutritional value of some foods, but the advances in molecular biology are rapidly being exploited to engineer crops with enhanced key nutrients. Nutritional targets include elevated mineral content, improved fatty acid composition, increased amino acid levels, and heightened antioxidant levels. Unfortunately, in many cases the benefits of these “biofortified” crops to human nutrition have not been demonstrated.