Iron-biofortified staple food crops for improving iron status: a review of the current evidence
Examines the evidence of the efficacy of crops on improving iron status, including rice, pearl millet and beans
Abstract
Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency globally and represents a major threat to public health. Biofortification, the process of enhancing micronutrient content and bioavailability in staple crops, represents an exciting sustainable food-based strategy to combat and prevent iron deficiency, particularly in resource-limited settings.
In this review, the authors examine the evidence to date of the efficacy of iron-biofortified staple food crops on improving iron status in at-risk populations, including rice, pearl millet, and beans. 3 randomized efficacy trials of iron biofortified interventions were included in this analysis, conducted in the Philippines, India, and Rwanda.
This work is an output of the HarvestPlus Programme. The Department for International Development is one of the main donors for HarvestPlus.
Citation
Finkelstein, Julia L., Jere D. Haas, and Saurabh Mehta. 2017. “Iron-biofortified staple food crops for improving iron status: a review of the current evidence.” Current Opinion in Biotechnologu 44 (April 2017): 138-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2017.01.003.
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Iron-biofortified staple food crops for improving iron status: a review of the current evidence