Jornal de Distúrbios Alimentares e Nutricionais

Biofortification: An imperative Bond for Nutritional Quality Enhancement in Vegetables

Anil Kumar

Myriad number of people are hungry, but many more are suffering from micronutrient malnutrition, also known as "secret hunger," and this problem particularly found in developing countries. Malnutrition of iodine, vitamin A, copper, and zinc is a significant concern. Mineral (Fe, Zn) and vitamin A deficiency are major food-related primary health problems in developing-world communities, including India, where there is a strong dependency upon the cereals for food rather than vegetables. So, for the redemption from the claws of malnutrition, biofortification is the best option in hand which can be applied on the various food commodities consumed by the population to enhance their nutritional content. Currently, three methods are often used: agronomic, organic, and transgenic biofortification.