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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344383
Title: Advantages and limitations of in vitro and in vivo methods of iron and zinc bioavailability evaluation in the assessment of biofortification program effectiveness

Author
item DIAS, DESIRRE - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item COSTA, NEUZA - Universidade Federal Do Espirito Santo (UFES)
item NUTTI, MARILIA - Embrapa
item Tako, Elad
item MARTINO, HERCIA - Universidade Federal De Vicosa

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2017
Publication Date: 4/17/2017
Citation: Dias, D., Costa, N., Nutti, M., Tako, E.N., Martino, H. 2017. Advantages and limitations of in vitro and in vivo methods of iron and zinc bioavailability evaluation in the assessment of biofortification program effectiveness. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. http://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1306484.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1306484

Interpretive Summary: Food crops biofortification aims to improve the micronutrient (mineral) concentration of staple food crops through the best practices of plant breeding and modern biotechnology. However, increased zinc and iron concentrations in food crops may not always translate into proportional increases in absorbed zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). Therefore, assessing iron and zinc bioavailability in biofortified crops is imperative to evaluate the efficacy of breeding programs. This review aimed to investigate the advantages and limitations of in vitro (cellular) and in vivo methods of iron and zinc bioavailability evaluation in the assessment of biofortification program effectiveness. In vitro, animal and isotopic human studies have shown high iron and zinc bioavailability in biofortified staple food crops. Human studies provide direct knowledge regarding the effectiveness of biofortification, however, human studies are time consuming and are more expensive than in vitro and animal studies. Moreover, in vitro studies may be a useful preliminary screening method to identify promising plant cultivars, however, these studies cannot provide data that are directly applicable to humans. None of these methods provides complete information regarding mineral bioavailability, thus, a combination of these methods should be the most appropriate strategy to investigate the effectiveness of zinc and iron biofortification programs.

Technical Abstract: Biofortification aims to improve the micronutrient concentration of staple food crops through the best practices of breeding and modern biotechnology. However, increased zinc and iron concentrations in food crops may not always translate into proportional increases in absorbed zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). Therefore, assessing iron and zinc bioavailability in biofortified crops is imperative to evaluate the efficacy of breeding programs. This review aimed to investigate the advantages and limitations of in vitro and in vivo methods of iron and zinc bioavailability evaluation in the assessment of biofortification program effectiveness. In vitro, animal and isotopic human studies have shown high iron and zinc bioavailability in biofortified staple food crops. Human studies provide direct knowledge regarding the effectiveness of biofortification, however, human studies are time consuming and are more expensive than in vitro and animal studies. Moreover, in vitro studies may be a useful preliminary screening method to identify promising plant cultivars, however, these studies cannot provide data that are directly applicable to humans. None of these methods provides complete information regarding mineral bioavailability, thus, a combination of these methods should be the most appropriate strategy to investigate the effectiveness of zinc and iron biofortification programs.