For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that an artificially cultivated iron-rich rice can increase people's nutritional level. They said that such rice varieties could one day help fight malnutrition. This malnutrition affects nearly 2 billion people, the vast majority of whom are women and children in developing countries.
Iron deficiency is the main cause of anaemia, and anemia can block children’s mental and physical development and can cause chronic fatigue in adults. More than 60,000 women die each year during pregnancy due to anaemia.
Until today, the only way to increase dietary iron content was to use expensive supplements—in the form of pills or tonics; or to eat a balanced diet, including foods rich in iron. However, these methods are unlikely for many poor people living in developing countries.
When crop scientists proposed to cultivate new varieties of staple crops and increase the iron content of crops as an alternative to the above-mentioned expensive methods, nutritionists questioned whether the consumption of such food crops by people can absorb iron. .
Howarth Bouis, head of the CGIAR's HarvestPlus program, said: “There are many people who doubt this proposal. It seems that their suspicions are unfounded.†Bouis is responsible for managing this research on iron-bearing rice.
Jere Haas and his colleagues at Cornell University in the United States provided a group of nuns in the Philippines with iron-rich rice as part of their diet. Research shows that after 9 months, these nuns have significantly increased iron levels in the blood of people who eat local ordinary rice.
The results were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Nutrition, which was presented by scientists at the annual meeting of the International Advisory Group for Agricultural Research held in Marrakech, Morocco, yesterday (December 5th).
This new rice variety was cultivated by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines using traditional breeding techniques. It provides 17% more dietary iron than the tested varieties of rice. Scientists at IRRI, Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University and Los Baños University in the Philippines tested the rice.
Although this study is the first demonstration that this method (using iron-rich rice) can be used to deal with iron deficiency, more research is needed to further increase the iron content of rice before the rice is marketed. Bouis said that in addition to traditional methods of breeding, GM technology "may be the method we use in the future to further increase the iron content."
The goal of the HarvestPlus program is to address micronutrient deficiencies by increasing the levels of zinc, iron and beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A in the body) in staple foods such as rice, wheat, beans, corn, tapioca and sweet potatoes. Caused "hidden hunger."
Iron deficiency is the main cause of anaemia, and anemia can block children’s mental and physical development and can cause chronic fatigue in adults. More than 60,000 women die each year during pregnancy due to anaemia.
Until today, the only way to increase dietary iron content was to use expensive supplements—in the form of pills or tonics; or to eat a balanced diet, including foods rich in iron. However, these methods are unlikely for many poor people living in developing countries.
When crop scientists proposed to cultivate new varieties of staple crops and increase the iron content of crops as an alternative to the above-mentioned expensive methods, nutritionists questioned whether the consumption of such food crops by people can absorb iron. .
Howarth Bouis, head of the CGIAR's HarvestPlus program, said: “There are many people who doubt this proposal. It seems that their suspicions are unfounded.†Bouis is responsible for managing this research on iron-bearing rice.
Jere Haas and his colleagues at Cornell University in the United States provided a group of nuns in the Philippines with iron-rich rice as part of their diet. Research shows that after 9 months, these nuns have significantly increased iron levels in the blood of people who eat local ordinary rice.
The results were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Nutrition, which was presented by scientists at the annual meeting of the International Advisory Group for Agricultural Research held in Marrakech, Morocco, yesterday (December 5th).
This new rice variety was cultivated by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines using traditional breeding techniques. It provides 17% more dietary iron than the tested varieties of rice. Scientists at IRRI, Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University and Los Baños University in the Philippines tested the rice.
Although this study is the first demonstration that this method (using iron-rich rice) can be used to deal with iron deficiency, more research is needed to further increase the iron content of rice before the rice is marketed. Bouis said that in addition to traditional methods of breeding, GM technology "may be the method we use in the future to further increase the iron content."
The goal of the HarvestPlus program is to address micronutrient deficiencies by increasing the levels of zinc, iron and beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A in the body) in staple foods such as rice, wheat, beans, corn, tapioca and sweet potatoes. Caused "hidden hunger."
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