BIOFORTIFICATION

Muhammad Qasim ali
PhD; food science and technology
[email protected]

1. Presentation Topic BIOFORTIFICATION Muhammad Qasim Ali Ph.D Food science and Technalogy 2 n d Semester INSTITUTE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION UNIVERSITY OF SARGODHA, SARGODHA

2. OUTLINE Why we need bio fortification What is bio fortification Strategies for bio fortification of food crops Targets in Bio fortification Different examples The potential benefits of bio fortification

3. Why we need bio fortification T he world population was continuously increasing, suffer from a lack of food, so that fighting hunger continues to be a challenge for humanity. On the other hand, the World Health Organization estimates that, worldwide, 1.5 billion people are overweight (WHO 2011g ). Increasingly, these two forms of malnutrition, underweight and overweight, are occurring simultaneously within the Different countries.(Gillespie and Haddad 2003; FAO 2006).

4. Bio fortification Bio fortification is an intervention strategy currently being researched and developed for increasing the bio‐absorbable content of micronutrients in the edible portion of staple food crops . The micronutrients currently being targeted by the bio fortification program are iron, zinc, and pro vitamin A.

5. The Goal of Bio fortification The goal of bio fortification is to contribute to reducing the high prevalence of specific nutritional deficiencies, especially of iron, zinc and vitamin A, which commonly occur in low income populations . This is to be achieved by improving the micronutrient density of staple food crops that are produced and consumed by these populations and hence, if bioavailability is demonstrated, increasing the adequacy of micronutrient intakes. Bio fortification is intended to contribute to the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies by reaching all household members

6. Bio fortification through conventional breeding Bio fortified crop varieties are developed by plant breeding using selective breeding and/or genetic modification. Selective breeding these programs search for variation in the characteristic of interest, for example higher iron content, within existing varieties of the crop. This characteristic is then bred into cultivated varieties by crossing (deliberately inter-breeding) and selecting those individual plants with the desired characteristics.

7. Selective breeding In selective breeding, scientists use Seed banks - collections of seeds usually collected in the past, which may have greater genetic variation than current varieties; Mutagenesis - a chemical or physical induction of genetic mutations used to generate new variation; Wide crosses – inter-breeding between a cultivated species and another, normally closely-related, species

8. Bio fortification through fertilizer application T he application of fertilizers containing essential mineral micronutrients is complicated by several factors, such as the application method, soil composition, mineral mobility in the plant, and its accumulation site. Iodine and selenium are mobile in soil and in plants, thus bio fortification with iodine and selenium fertilizers has been particularly successful. Because Zn is also mobile in the soil, applications of ZnSO4 can also increase yield and Zn concentrations in cereals and legumes.

9. Harvest Plus Harvest Plus was launched in 2004 with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and others. Harvest Plus is focusing on increasing levels of iron, zinc and beta-carotene in seven staple crops, grown in areas of high subsistence farming, namely sweet potato, bean, pearl millet, cassava, maize, rice and wheat.

10. Different examples Golden Rice Project Golden Rice is a GM-derived variety of beta-carotene-rich rice. Golden Rice 1 was developed with only moderate amounts of beta-carotene in the grain. More recently Golden Rice 2 was developed containing higher levels and this variety is being prepared for release, pending regulatory approval . Selenium Bio fortification of Wheat In 1980s Selenium levels in UK soils are generally low so UK-grown wheat is low in selenium. A project explored selective breeding and timely application of selenium containing fertilizer to increase selenium levels in wheat. The project found adding small amounts of selenium to fertilizer increases selenium levels in the grain.

11. Conti…………… Protein Quality Protein Maize (QPM) was developed at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre using selective breeding. M aize is a staple food, and studies have shown a beneficial impact on growth (height and weight) in children. Fatty acids Plant oils, such as rapeseed oil, contain long-chain fatty acids that can be converted into two, health-promoting, long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) although conversion rates are low. The FAO recommends, EPA and DHA for pregnant and lactating women, that improve cardio-vascular health in adults and play an important role in brain and eye development in the fetus.

12. The potential benefits of bio fortification Reaching rural communities without access to pharmaceutical supplements or fortified food and improving life-time nutritional status; less susceptible to social and economic changes than short term interventions; The potential to impact a large number of people at a low cost per person

13. Thank You…