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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Research Project #440158

Research Project: Nutritional Quality and Micronutrient Bioavailability of Foods

Location: Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research

Project Number: 8062-10700-001-002-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 1, 2021
End Date: Jun 30, 2024

Objective:
Nutrients such as iron, zinc, carotenoids, folate and polyphenols are essential to human health. Therefore, the overall objective is to conduct research on content, quality and bioavailability of these nutrients in staple foods and food products. To do so, this work will involve interaction with plant breeders, nutritionists and food scientists. Sub-objectives of the project will include identification and development of plant varieties with enhanced nutritional quality for the above nutrients; development of analytical tools, evaluation of food processing and formulation for nutritional quality; and characterization of the nutritional benefits of the enhanced foods in human diets and food systems.

Approach:
A combination of in vitro and analytical techniques will be coupled with animal feeding trials to determine nutrient content and bioavailability.