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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #112645
Title: FORMS AND AMOUNTS OF IRON IN PLANT FOODS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR HUMAN NUTRITION

Author
item Welch, Ross

Submitted to: Iron Nutrition and Interactions in Plants Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Iron deficiency afflicts 3.5 billion people globally. This high prevalence may be linked to changes in global food systems resulting from the global use of modern cropping systems. The consequences of Fe deficiency include reduced worker productivity, higher mortality & morbidity rates, & reduced cognitive function in children born to Fe-deficient mothers. Improving the level of bioavailable Fe in plant foods is, therefore, urgently needed. Modern molecular techniques now make it possible to genetically modify plants in ways that can result in more accumulation of Fe in edible plant organs. Significantly increasing the total amount of Fe in edible portions of food crops will not be enough to satisfy human Fe requirements for several reasons. First, plant foods can contain substances that interfere with the absorption or utilization of Fe by humans (e.g., certain tannins, certain fibers, & phytic acid). Second, greatly increasing Fe levels in plant tissues could result in decreased crop yields, consequences which would not be acceptable to farmers. Antinutrients in food crops can be significantly lowered via genetic manipulation. However, many of these substances play important metabolic roles in plant growth & development & in the plant's resistance environmental stresses. Further, they provide important health benefits (e.g., as anticarcinogens & lowering the risk of heart disease). Reducing their levels could be detrimental to both plant & human health. Increasing substances that enhance Fe bioavailability is another possibility. Promoter substances can counteract the negative effects of 'antinutrients' on Fe bioavailability. Promoters should be identified & significantly increased in important staple food crops. Doing so would lower the prevalence of iron deficiency in the world.