Beta-carotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato improves the vitamin A status of primary school children assessed with the modified-relative-dose-response test

Antiproliferative potential of sweetpotato in breast (BT549) and lung (A549) cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND

Researchers have searched for plant-derived medicines over the last few decades. Although much of the focus has been on medicinal herbs, many vegetables, such as sweetpotato, have also been discovered to have medicinal properties due to their high levels of nutrients and phytochemicals. This study aimed to determine the effects of methanolic extracts from sweetpotato leaves and leaves/stems on human lung (A549) and breast (BT549) cancer cell lines. The authors obtained the leafy greens from Tennessee State University's Organic research farm, extracted with methanol and studied for their cytotoxicity.

METHODS

Alamar blue Assay was used to determine whether the methanolic extracts from fresh sweetpotato leaves (cv. All Purple) and leaves/stems (cv. Carolina Ruby) had the potential to affect cell proliferation in the human lung (A549) and breast (BT549) cell lines in-vitro. Tamoxifen was used as the positive control, while DMSO was used as the negative control.

RESULTS

Sweetpotato leaves of the All-Purple cultivar and the stem/leaves of the Carolina Ruby cultivar inhibited lung and breast cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. The All purple sweetpotato produced EC50 values of 0.013 µg/µl (R2 = 0.67, P < 0.05) and 0.002 µg/µl (R2 = 0.89, P < 0.05) in the A549 and BT549 cell lines respectively, using the Alamar blue assay. The BT549 cell line treated with all purple leaf extract was less significant than that of the A549 cell line. However, the sweetpotato stem and leaf extract of Carolina ruby had a more significant cytotoxic effect on the A549 cell line with an EC50 value of 0.0014 µg/µl (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Anticancer activities of these extracts showed their ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cell lines, such as BT549 (breast cancer) and A549 (lung cancer), in a concentration-dependent manner. Further studies would help determine the bioactive compounds present in these compounds that produce this effect, but more studies would also help determine whether the extracts could induce apoptosis in BT549 and A549 cancer cells, the mechanism of action, and cell cycle progression.

Biofortification: Future Challenges for a Newly Emerging Technology to Improve Nutrition Security Sustainably

Biofortification was coined as a term to define a plant breeding strategy to increase the micronutrient content of staple food crops to reduce the burden of micronutrient deficiencies in low- and middle-income countries. In 2003, the HarvestPlus program, based in the centers comprising the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, was initiated to implement the biofortification strategy. This article discusses what has been achieved, what has been learned, and the key challenges to embed biofortification in food systems and to expand its impact. Cost-effectiveness is key to the biofortification strategy. Biofortification piggybacks on the agronomically superior varieties being developed at agricultural research centers. Central plant breeding research discoveries can be spread globally. Farmers have every motivation to adopt the latest high-yielding, high profit crops. High productivity leads to lower food prices. As a consequence, consumers can increase their mineral and vitamin intakes at no additional cost by substituting biofortified staple foods 1-for-1 for nonbiofortified staple foods. After 20 years of investment, biofortified staple food crops are being produced by farmers in over 40 countries and are eaten by hundreds of millions of people. Published nutrition trials have shown nutrient-rich crops to be efficacious. The biofortification strategy is now recognized by the international nutrition community as one effective approach among several interventions needed to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. This is a promising beginning. However, biofortification is still a newly emerging technology. A limitation of biofortification as implemented to date is that densities of single nutrients have been increased in given staple food crops. To reach a higher trajectory, the impacts of biofortification can be multiplied several-fold using genetic engineering and other advanced crop development techniques to combine multiple-nutrient densities with climate-smart traits.

The current status of genetic biofortification in alleviating malnutrition in Africa

Africa is a continent where undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are common and malnutrition is a major problem. Genetic biofortification (GB) offers a promising way to combat malnutrition. But little is still known about how widely used GB is in Africa today. This review explores the status, achievements, and challenges of GB on the continent today. It draws attention to the potential for enhanced nutritional results from biofortified crops that are enhanced with vital elements like zinc, iron, and vitamin A. Biofortification has a demonstrable positive effect on health and wellness, as evidenced by success stories from several African nations. However, obstacles like a lack of farmer awareness, difficulty obtaining biofortified seeds, and complicated regulations make adoption difficult. Research and collaboration advances hold the potential for increasing GB's effectiveness. This study offers guidance for the future and calls for coordinated efforts to implement GB programs to achieve a well-nourished Africa.

First systematic review of the last 30 years of research on sweetpotato: elucidating the frontiers and hotspots

Sweetpotato is an economically important crop, and it has various advantages over other crops in addressing global food security and climate change. Although substantial articles have been published on the research of various aspects of sweetpotato biology, there are no specific reports to systematically crystallize the research achievements. The current review takes the lead in conducting a keyword-centric spatiotemporal dimensional bibliometric analysis of articles on sweetpotato research using CiteSpace software to comprehensively clarify the development status, research hotspot, and development trend in the past 30 years (1993-2022). Quantitative analysis was carried out on the publishing countries, institutions, disciplines, and scholars to understand the basic status of sweetpotato research; then, visual analysis was conducted on high-frequency keywords, burst keywords, and keyword clustering; the evolution of major research hotspots and the development trend in different periods were summarized. Finally, the three main development stages-preliminary stage (1993-2005), rapid stage (2006-2013), and diversified mature stage (2014-2022)-were reviewed and analyzed in detail. Particularly, the development needs of sweetpotato production in improving breeding efficiency, enhancing stress tolerance, coordinating high yield with high quality and high resistance, and promoting demand were discussed, which will help to comprehensively understand the development dynamics of sweetpotato research from different aspects of biological exploration.

The Importance of Philanthropy Foundation for the Future Sustainability of Agriculture and Nutrition: An Opinion Study on Practical Applications, Policies, and Strategies

Food security, food sustainability, and malnutrition represent critical global challenges. Th urgency of comprehensive action is evident in the need for research collaboration between the food industry, agriculture, public health, and nutrition. This article highlights the role of philanthropy, of a non-profit organization, in supporting research and development and filling financial gaps. The article also explores the interplay of nutrition, agriculture, and government and policy, positioning philanthropy as a catalyst for transformative change and advocating for collaborative efforts to comprehensively address global food challenges. In addition, the discussion also underscores the ethical complexities surrounding charitable food aid, especially in terms of the dignity and autonomy of its recipients. The paper concludes by proposing future directions and implications, advocating for diversified intervention portfolios and collaborative efforts involving governments, businesses, and local communities. Apart from that, the importance of answering and alleviating ethical dilemmas related to food charity assistance needs to be a concern for future studies related to philanthropy because of the significant challenges faced by the contemporary food system, which include food security, health, and nutritional sustainability.

Physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, and color qualities of sorghum-orange-fleshed sweet potato composite flour

Sorghum and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flours were blended to produce composite flours at eight different ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, and 20:80, respectively, whereas 100% sorghumflour was used as control. The physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, as well as color attributes of the composite flour blends were evaluated. The acquired data were analyzed using ANOVA, and the means were separated using the Duncan multiple range test. Significant differences (p < .05) were observed in the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the flour blends. The protein levels in the composite flour decreased as the proportion of OFSP flour increased. However, the levels of vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C contents of the composite flours increased with higher proportions of OFSP, ranging from 0.27 and 1.74 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 2.13 and 2.12 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. In contrast, an increase in the percentage of OFSP flour resulted in a decrease in the contents of vitamin B-complex, particularly vitamins B2 and B6. These values decreased slightly from 0.19 and 1.98 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 0.16 and 0.03 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. Furthermore, as the proportion of OFSP flour increased, there was a reduction in the calcium levels from 17.39 mg/100 g in the 100% sorghum sample to 13.52 mg/100 g in the S20O80 sample. However, no particular trend was observed in, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus levels. Sample S50O50 had the highest percentage of essential and conditional amino acids, except for cysteine, valine, and phenylalanine. The findings also revealed significant variations (p < .05) in the composite flour samples' functional properties and color measurements. Substituting sorghum with OFSP in sorghum-based food products would significantly increase their vitamin A content.

Vitamin A: too good to be bad?

Vitamin A is a micronutrient important for vision, cell growth, reproduction and immunity. Both deficiency and excess consuming of vitamin A cause severe health consequences. Although discovered as the first lipophilic vitamin already more than a century ago and the definition of precise biological roles of vitamin A in the setting of health and disease, there are still many unresolved issues related to that vitamin. Prototypically, the liver that plays a key role in the storage, metabolism and homeostasis of vitamin A critically responds to the vitamin A status. Acute and chronic excess vitamin A is associated with liver damage and fibrosis, while also hypovitaminosis A is associated with alterations in liver morphology and function. Hepatic stellate cells are the main storage site of vitamin A. These cells have multiple physiological roles from balancing retinol content of the body to mediating inflammatory responses in the liver. Strikingly, different animal disease models also respond to vitamin A statuses differently or even opposing. In this review, we discuss some of these controversial issues in understanding vitamin A biology. More studies of the interactions of vitamin A with animal genomes and epigenetic settings are anticipated in the future.

Evaluation of Yield and Nutraceutical Traits of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Storage Roots in Two Agro-Climatic Zones of Northern Ethiopia

This study evaluated the genotype by environment interactions in the yield and nutraceutical traits of the orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) storage root in different agro-climatic zones of northern Ethiopia. Five OFSP genotypes were cultivated at three different locations following a randomized complete block design, and the yield, dry matter, beta-carotene, flavonoids, polyphenols, soluble sugars, starch, soluble proteins, and free radical scavenging activity were measured in the storage root. The results showed consistent variations in the nutritional traits of the OFSP storage root depending on both the genotype and the location, as well as on their interaction. Ininda, Gloria, and Amelia were the genotypes that provided the higher yield and dry matter, as well as the higher content of starch and beta-carotene; they also showed a high antioxidant power. These findings suggest that the studied genotypes have the potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. This study demonstrated a high possibility of sweet potato production for storage root yield in arid agro-climate regions with limited production inputs. Moreover, the results suggest that it is possible to enhance the yield, dry matter content, beta-carotene, starch, and polyphenols of the OFSP storage root through genotype selection.

Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of biofortified food and food products: Current evidence

Biofortification increases micronutrient content in staple crops through conventional breeding, agronomic methods, or genetic engineering. Bioaccessibility is a prerequisite for a nutrient to fulfill a biological function, e.g., to be bioavailable. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the bioavailability (and bioaccessibility as a proxy via in vitro and animal models) of the target micronutrients enriched in conventionally biofortified crops that have undergone post-harvest storage and/or processing, which has not been systematically reviewed previously, to our knowledge. We searched for articles indexed in MEDLINE, Agricola, AgEcon, and Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International databases, organizational websites, and hand-searched studies' reference lists to identify 18 studies reporting on bioaccessibility and 58 studies on bioavailability. Conventionally bred biofortified crops overall had higher bioaccessibility and bioavailability than their conventional counterparts, which generally provide more absorbed micronutrient on a fixed ration basis. However, these estimates depended on exact cultivar, processing method, context (crop measured alone or as part of a composite meal), and experimental method used. Measuring bioaccessibility and bioavailability of target micronutrients in biofortified and conventional foods is critical to optimize nutrient availability and absorption, ultimately to improve programs targeting micronutrient deficiency.

Development of a dual RT-RPA detection for Sweet potato feathery mottle virus and Sweet potato chlorotic stuntvirus

The disease co-infected by Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) is devastating in sweet potato, as it would give rise to the serious losses in both production and quality. Consequently, it is conducive for preventing and controlling this disease to detect these two viruses accurately and timely. Here we developed and optimized a dual reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) for rapid and accurate detection of SPFMV and SPCSV. Four special primers were designed based on the conserved sequences of SPFMV and SPCSV, respectively. The sensitivity of dual RT-RPA for SPFMV and SPCSV was 10^-4 ng/μL at the optimal conditions in which the primer ratio between SPFMV and SPCSV was 2:1, and the reaction incubated for 25 min at a temperature of 39 °C. Both 61 sweet potato samples and 5 morning glory samples collected from China were tested using the dual RT-RPA successfully. Therefore, the dual RT-RPA is a reliable, rapid, sensitive method to detect these two viruses in sweet potato. It is the RT-RPA that was used for detection of SPFMV and SPCSV simultaneously firstly. This dual RT-RPA, as a convenient and powerful tool, will be useful to diagnose SPFMV and SPCSV.

Sweet Potato New Varieties Screening Based on Morphology, Pulp Color, Proximal Composition, and Total Dietary Fiber Content via Factor Analysis and Principal Component Analysis

A sample set of 18 sweet potatoes [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] segmented into six registered cultivars and 12 new varieties were evaluated. The 142 tuberous roots were obtained from a sweet potato germplasm bank (BAG-sweet potato; -27.417713768824555 and -49.64874168439556), specifically from plants belonging to a sweet potato breeding program. All samples were characterized according to their morphology, instrumental pulp color, proximate composition, and total dietary fiber. The analytical results were submitted to parametric and non-parametric statistical tests for sample variance data comparison. Moreover, the screening of the cultivars and new varieties was performed by exploratory statistical analysis, factor analysis (FA), and principal component analysis (PCA). From the sixteen independent variables that characterized the samples, the exploratory FA identified thirteen that had a communality greater than 0.7, with 92.08% of assertiveness. The PCA generated 4 principal components able to account for 84.01% of the explanatory variance. So, among the six registered cultivars, SCS372 Marina and SCS370 Luiza showed the capability to be employed as cultivars for production. Among the 12 sweet potato new varieties, samples 17025-13, 17125-10, and 17117 met the requirements for patent and registration. These results will be useful to farmers who wish to use these sweet potatoes in the development of their crops.

Heterosis and Responses to Selection in Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Improved Using Reciprocal Recurrent Selection

Sweetpotato is a highly heterozygous hybrid, and populations of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) have a considerable importance for food security and health. The objectives were to estimate heterosis increments and response to selection in three OFSP hybrid populations (H1) developed in Peru for different product profiles after one reciprocal recurrent selection cycle, namely, H1 for wide adaptation and earliness (O-WAE), H1 for no sweetness after cooking (O-NSSP), and H1 for high iron (O-HIFE). The H1 populations were evaluated at two contrasting locations together with parents, foundation (parents in H0), and two widely adapted checks. Additionally, O-WAE was tested under two environmental conditions of 90-day and a normal 120-day harvest. In each H1, the yield and selected quality traits were recorded. The data were analyzed using linear mixed models. The storage root yield traits exhibited population average heterosis increments of up to 43.5%. The quality traits examined have exhibited no heterosis increments that are worth exploiting. The storage root yield genetic gain relative to the foundation was remarkable: 118.8% for H1-O-WAE for early harvest time, 81.5% for H1-O-WAE for normal harvest time, 132.4% for H1-O-NSSP, and 97.1% for H1-O-HIFE. Population hybrid breeding is a tool to achieve large genetic gains in sweetpotato yield via more efficient population improvement and allows a rapid dissemination of globally true seed that is generated from reproducible elite crosses, thus, avoiding costly and time-consuming virus cleaning of elite clones typically transferred as vegetative plantlets. The population hybrid breeding approach is probably applicable to other clonally propagated crops, where potential for true seed production exists.

Effect of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Purée and Wheat Flour Blends on β-Carotene, Selected Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Bread

Partial substitution of wheat flour with orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) purée in bread can increase vitamin A intake among consumers. The study investigated the influence of wheat flour substitution with 20–50% of OFSP purée on proximate composition, color, β-carotene, water activity, and microbial keeping quality. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fiber, and carbohydrate in bread ranged from 28.6–32.7%, 9.9–10.6%, 5.0–5.5%, 1.9–3.2%, 1.4–1.8%, and 79.1–80.9%, respectively. β-carotene, total ash, and crude fiber contents in bread, and Hunter color values a*, b*, chroma, and ∆E significantly increased with the addition of OFSP purée. Total viable counts (TVC), yeast, and molds in bread ranged from 2.82–3.64 log10 cfu/g and 1.48–2.16 log10 cfu/g, respectively, on the last day of storage. Water activity, TVC, and fungal counts were low in sweet potato composite bread as compared to white bread. Total β-carotene in OFSP bread ranged from 1.9–5.4 mg/100 g (on dry weight). One hundred grams of bread portion enriched with 40% and 50% OFSP purée provides more than 50% of vitamin A dietary requirements to children aged 4–8 years. Incorporation of up to 50% OFSP purée in wheat flour produces a relatively shelf-stable, nutritious, and health-promoting functional bread.

Current Status and Potential of Biofortification to Enhance Crop Nutritional Quality: An Overview

Around 2 billion people are suffering from chronic malnutrition or “hidden hunger”, which is the result of many diseases and disorders, including cognitive degeneration, stunting growth, and mortality. Thus, biofortification of staple food crops enriched with micronutrients is a more sustainable option for providing nutritional supplements and managing malnutrition in a society. Since 2001, when the concept of biofortification came to light, different research activities have been carried out, like the development of target populations, breeding or genetic engineering, and the release of biofortified cultivars, in addition to conducting nutritional efficacy trials and delivery plan development. Although, being a cost-effective intervention, it still faces many challenges, like easy accessibility of biofortified cultivars, stakeholders’ acceptance, and the availability of biofortified germplasm in the public domain, which varies from region to region. Hence, this review is focused on the recent potential, efforts made to crop biofortification, impacts analysis on human health, cost-effectiveness, and future perspectives to further strengthen biofortification programs. Through regular interventions of sustainable techniques and methodologies, biofortification holds huge potential to solve the malnutrition problem through regular interventions of nutrient-enriched staple food options for billions of people globally.

The contribution of provitamin A biofortified cassava to vitamin A intake in Nigerian pre-schoolchildren

Biofortified yellow cassava has been developed to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. We examined the potential contribution of yellow cassava to total retinol activity equivalent (RAE) intake if replacing white by yellow cassava among pre-school Nigerian children. Dietary intake was assessed as part of a randomised controlled trial. Pre-schoolchildren (n 176) were randomly assigned to receive either white cassava (WC) or yellow cassava (YC) for 17 weeks. Dietary intake assessments were conducted during the intervention and 1 month after, when children had resumed their habitual diet. Differences in RAE intake between groups and time points were compared using a linear mixed model regression analysis. During intervention, median RAE intake was 536 µg/d in the YC group and 301 µg/d in the WC group (P < 0·0001). YC contributed approximately 40 % to total RAE intake. Of the children, 9 % in the YC group and 29 % in the WC group had RAE intake below the Estimated Average Requirement. After intervention, median RAE intake was 300 µg/d and did not differ between intervention groups (P = 0·5). The interaction effect of group and time showed a 37 % decrease in RAE intake in the YC group after the intervention (Exp(β) = 0·63; 95 % CI 0·56, 0·72). If WC was replaced by YC after intervention, the potential contribution of YC to total RAE intake was estimated to be approximately 32 %. YC increased total RAE intake and showed a substantially lower inadequacy of intake. It is therefore recommended as a good source of provitamin A in cassava-consuming regions.

Iron Bioavailability from Multiple Biofortified Foods Using an In Vitro Digestion, Caco-2 Assay for Optimizing a Cyclical Menu for a Randomized Efficacy Trial

BACKGROUND

Inadequate nutritional status contributes to substantial losses in human health and productivity globally. A multiple biofortified food crop trial targeting iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies among young children and their breastfeeding mothers is being conducted in India.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the relative iron bioavailability from biofortified and conventional crops and crop combinations representative of a cyclical menu using crops targeted for inclusion in the feeding trial.

METHODS

Crops were procured from India, cooked, freeze-dried, and analyzed with an established in vitro digestion/Caco-2 iron bioavailability assay using a fixed sample weight. Crop proportions representative of meals planned for the human study were determined and combined such that samples included either all biofortified or all control crops. Crops were analyzed as single crops (n = 4) or crop combinations (n = 7) by variety (biofortified or control) in triplicate. The primary outcome was iron uptake measured by Caco-2 ferritin production normalized to total Caco-2 protein (nanograms of ferritin/milligrams of cell protein) analyzed for effects of crop variety and crop proportion using generalized linear models.

RESULTS

Biofortified pearl millet alone demonstrated higher iron uptake than conventional varieties (5.01 ± 1.66 vs. 2.17 ± 0.96; P = 0.036). Addition of sweet potato or sweet potato + pulse improved iron uptake for all proportions tested in control varieties and select proportions for biofortified varieties (P ≤ 0.05). Two multiple crop combinations demonstrated modestly higher iron uptake from biofortified crops.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimizing total iron delivery should consider matrix effects, processing, and promoters/inhibitors of iron absorption in addition to total iron concentration. Future directions include evaluating recipes as prepared for consumption and comparison against human iron bioavailability studies.

The Role of Targeted Nutrition Education of Preschoolers and Caregivers on Sustained Consumption of Biofortified Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato in Kenya

BACKGROUND

Persistent prevalence of high malnutrition in poor households in developing countries calls for enhancement of cost-effective nutrition interventions among the vulnerable groups. One responsive way is to promote regular consumption of home-grown biofortified foods, particularly in the micronutrient-deficient groups. Previous nutrition interventions have targeted adults with behavior change education, but have rarely explored the potential of nutrition education of preschoolers as change agents.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to assess the effect of nutrition education targeting preschool children and their caregivers on their consumption of vitamin A-biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) in rural farm households in Homa Bay County, Kenya.

METHODS

A total of 431 preschooler-caregiver pairs from 15 village-level clusters were recruited into a randomized controlled trial. The sample was randomized into 1 control (3 villages) and 3 treatment groups (4 villages each). Treatments involved channeling nutrition education to preschoolers through their learning materials (preschooler treatment); the caregivers through their mobile phones (caregiver treatment); and to both preschoolers and their caregivers simultaneously (integrated treatment). Baseline and follow-up household-level surveys were conducted with the caregivers, and consumption data were collected from the preschoolers using a child dietary diversity register. Class teachers sought 24-h consumption recalls of the preschoolers for 19 consecutive schooldays.

RESULTS

The results of a zero-inflated Poisson regression showed that the phone-mediated and multichanneled nutrition education approaches significantly increased the number of days of OFSP consumption. The integrated nutrition education approach significantly increased the preschoolers' likelihood to consume OFSP, number of OFSP consumption days, and likelihood to consume it more than once per week by 11%, 77%, and 20%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Nutrition education through OFSP-branded preschoolers' learning materials and phone-mediated messages provides effective nudges to the caregivers to feed their preschoolers regularly with OFSP. This could have implications for realizing sustainable nutrition programs in biofortified crop-growing areas.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Relative Dose-Response Tests to Assess Vitamin A Status

Vitamin A (VA) is an essential nutrient often lacking in the diets of people in developing countries. Accurate biomarkers of VA status are vital to inform public health policy and monitor interventions. The relative dose-response (RDR) and modified-RDR (MRDR) tests are semi-quantitative screening tests for VA deficiency that have been used in Demographic and Health Surveys and VA intervention studies. A systematic review and meta-analysis of sensitivity and specificity were conducted to summarize the physiological evidence to support the RDR tests as methods to assess VA status and investigate the impact of different pathological and physiological states on the tests. A total of 190 studies were screened for inclusion, with 21 studies comparing the RDR tests with the gold-standard biomarker, liver VA concentration (68% and 80% sensitivity and 85% and 69% specificity for the RDR and MRDR, respectively). Nearly all studies with VA interventions in VA-deficient populations demonstrated a response of the tests to VA intake that would be expected to improve VA status. The impacts of chronic liver disease, protein malnutrition, age, pregnancy and lactation, infection and inflammation, and various other conditions were examined in 51 studies. The RDR and MRDR tests were reported to have been used in 39 observational studies, and the MRDR has been used in at least 6 national micronutrient surveys. The RDR and MRDR are sensitive tests for determining population VA status and assessing VA interventions. Although they are robust to most physiological and pathological states, caution may be warranted when using the tests in neonates, individuals with chronic liver disease, and those with protein or iron malnutrition. Research on further improvements to the tests to increase accessibility, such as sampling breast milk instead of blood or using intramuscular doses in subjects with malabsorption, will allow wider adoption. This review was registered with PROSPERO as CRD42019124180.

Breeding Progress for Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc Biofortification, Drought Tolerance, and Sweetpotato Virus Disease Resistance in Sweetpotato

Sweetpotato is a resilient food crop with great potential to contribute to reduced hunger in the world. Sweetpotato shows significant potential to contribute to reducing the Global Hunger Index, which reflects deficiencies in calories and micronutrients based on the components of hunger, undernourishment, under-five mortality rate, stunting and wasting. Its genetic diversity has been harnessed through breeding to increase vitamin A, iron, and zinc content, virus resistance and climate resilience for the world's food needs. Africa and India are the most food-insecure regions. The main objectives of this research were to: provide information and a knowledge base on sweetpotato breeding in Africa for biofortification of vitamin A, iron, and zinc, drought tolerance and virus resistance; recommend procedures for generating new breeding populations and varieties; and develop new tools, technologies and methods for sweetpotato improvement. The research was implemented between 2009 and 2020 in 14 collaborating African countries using introduced and local genotypes. The redesigned accelerated breeding scheme resulted in increased genetic gains for vitamin A, iron, zinc contents and virus resistance, and the release by sub-Saharan African countries of 158 varieties; 98 of them orange-fleshed; 55 varieties bred by an accelerated breeding scheme; 27 drought-tolerant and two with enhanced iron and zinc content. Our experience has demonstrated that through the use of more optimized, standardized and collaborative breeding procedures by breeding programs across Africa, it is possible to speed official sweetpotato variety release and contribute to reducing the severe micronutrient deficiencies on the continent.

Scaling Up Delivery of Biofortified Staple Food Crops Globally: Paths to Nourishing Millions

BACKGROUND

Micronutrient deficiencies affect over one quarter of the world's population. Biofortification is an evidence-based nutrition strategy that addresses some of the most common and preventable global micronutrient gaps and can help improve the health of millions of people. Since 2013, HarvestPlus and a consortium of collaborators have made impressive progress in the enrichment of staple crops with essential micronutrients through conventional plant breeding.

OBJECTIVE

To review and highlight lessons learned from multiple large-scale delivery strategies used by HarvestPlus to scale up biofortification across different country and crop contexts.

RESULTS

India has strong public and private sector pearl millet breeding programs and a robust commercial seed sector. To scale-up pearl millet, HarvestPlus established partnerships with public and private seed companies, which facilitated the rapid commercialization of products and engagement of farmers in delivery activities. In Nigeria, HarvestPlus stimulated the initial acceptance and popularization of vitamin A cassava using a host of creative approaches, including "crowding in" delivery partners, innovative promotional programs, and development of intermediate raw material for industry and novel food products. In Uganda, orange sweet potato (OSP) is a traditional subsistence crop. Due to this, and the lack of formal seed systems and markets, HarvestPlus established a network of partnerships with community-based nongovernmental organizations and vine multipliers to popularize and scale-up delivery of OSP.

CONCLUSIONS

Impact of biofortification ultimately depends on the development of sustainable markets for biofortified seeds and products. Results illustrate the need for context-specific, innovative solutions to promote widespread adoption.

Benefits and Trade-Offs of Smallholder Sweet Potato Cultivation as a Pathway toward Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will shape national development plans up to 2030. SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger) and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) are particularly crucial for the poor, given they target the basic human needs for development and fundamental human rights. The majority of poor and malnourished people in the developing world live in rural areas and engage in farming as a key part of their livelihoods, with food and agriculture at the heart of their development concerns. Crops that can provide both food and energy without detrimental impacts on soil or water resources can be particularly beneficial for local development and smallholder farmers. Sweet potato, in particular, is starting to attract growing attention from researchers and policymakers as it has the potential to address these global problems and promote a sustainable society. We systematically review the literature to assess how sweet potato can support smallholder farmers to make progress towards the SDGs. We find that sweet potato has important untapped potential to advance progress, particularly linked to its versatility as a crop and its multiple end-uses. However, further research is paramount in order to better recognise and harness its potential to address the issues of food, nutrition and energy security in the context of a changing global climate. Further investigation is also needed into the trade-offs that occur in the use of sweet potato to support progress towards the SDGs.

Daily consumption of pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava improves serum retinol concentrations in preschool children in Nigeria: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava has the potential to contribute significantly to improve vitamin A status, especially in populations that are difficult to reach with other strategies.

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed at determining the efficacy of biofortified cassava to improve vitamin A status of Nigerian preschool children.

METHODS

An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted in southwestern Nigeria. In total, 176 preschool children (aged 3-5 y) were randomized into 2 parallel arms comprising an experimental group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from biofortified (yellow) cassava, and a control group (n = 88), fed foods prepared from white cassava, twice a day, 6 d a week for 93 d.

RESULTS

A total of 159 children completed the trial (yellow cassava group, n = 80; white cassava group, n = 79). Children consumed 221 and 74 µg/d retinol activity equivalents from intervention foods in the yellow and white cassava groups, respectively. The treatment effect on serum retinol concentrations at the end of the feeding trial was 0.06 µmol/L (95% CI: 0.004, 0.124 µmol/L), after adjustment for baseline retinol concentrations, inflammation, and asymptomatic malaria status. No significant treatment effects were detected for serum β-carotene (adjusted effect: 3.9%; 95% CI: -0.6%, 8.6%) and gut permeability (adjusted effect: 0.002; 95% CI: -0.089, 0.092), but a significant effect was detected for hemoglobin concentrations (adjusted effect: 3.08 g/L; 95% CI: 0.38, 5.78 g/L).

CONCLUSIONS

Daily consumption of β-carotene from biofortified cassava improved serum retinol and hemoglobin concentrations modestly in Nigerian preschool children. This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02627222.

Functional Cupcake for Preventing Vitamin A Deficiency and Correlated Anemia and Oxidative Stress

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) is a critical public health problem that affects the health of kids worldwide and may induce anemia and oxidative stress. The current study aimed to pre-clinically assess the effect of a cupcake, prepared to be served for primary school children, on vitamin A deficiency and related anemia and oxidative stress in rats. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Flour of flash orange sweet potatoes, as a rich source of pro-vitamin A, was used to prepare the cupcake. The chemical composition, amino acids and sensory evaluation of the cupcake were done. The biological evaluation was carried out using 18 weaning rats in three groups (control group, vitamin A-deficient group and vitamin A-deficient group fed on a diet fortified with 20% of the prepared cupcake for two months). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The results indicated the high value of vitamin A in the prepared cupcake. Excellent sensory characteristics were noticed. Feeding on the VDA diet fortified with the prepared cupcake suppressed the reduction in Retinol-Binding Protein (RBP), hemoglobin and iron. Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) increased in the VAD group. Also, feeding on the prepared cupcake suppressed the reduction in Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and the elevation of Malondialdehyde (MDA). &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; It can be suggested that the prepared cupcake is promising in preventing of vitamin A deficiency and related anemia and oxidative stress. Thus, the prepared cupcake may be efficient for children to prevent vitamin A deficiency.

Diversity of nutritional content in seeds of Brazilian common bean germplasm

Mineral deficiency is worldwide one of the major problems associated with human health, and biofortification through breeding is considered an important strategy to improve the nutritional content of staple food in countries that face this problem. The assessment of genetic variability for seed nutrient contents is a first step in the development of a biofortified crop. From the germplasm bank IDR-IAPAR-EMATER, a set of 1,512 common bean accessions, consisting of local and commercial varieties and improved lines, was analyzed. High variability among the accessions was observed for all evaluated nutrient contents (P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe and S and protein). In the mean, the contents of the carioca and black market groups (Mesoamerican gene pool), were around 7% higher for the minerals Ca, Cu, Mn and Fe and between 2-4% higher for P, K, Mg and Zn than in the other groups with Mesoamerican and Andean common bean. Few differences were observed among the Mesoamerican accessions that belong to the carioca and black commercial groups. Wide variability was observed among the evaluated genotypes, and the concentrations of the best accessions exceeded the overall mean by 14-28%. Due to the high variability in the evaluated accessions, these results may contribute to the selection of promising parents for the establishment of mating blocks. The nutritional contents of many of the improved lines evaluated in this study were higher than those of the commercial cultivars, indicating the possibility of developing new biofortified cultivars.

What is food-to-food fortification? A working definition and framework for evaluation of efficiency and implementation of best practices

Food-to-food fortification (FtFF) is an emerging food-based strategy that can complement current strategies in the ongoing fight against micronutrient deficiencies, but it has not been defined or characterized. This review has proposed a working definition of FtFF. Comparison with other main food-based strategies clearly differentiates FtFF as an emerging strategy with the potential to address multiple micronutrient deficiencies simultaneously, with little dietary change required by consumers. A review of literature revealed that despite the limited number of studies (in vitro and in vivo), the diversity of food-based fortificants investigated and some contradictory data, there are promising fortificants, which have the potential to improve the amount of bioavailable iron, zinc, and provitamin A from starchy staple foods. These fortificants are typically fruits and vegetables, with high mineral as well as ascorbic acid and β-carotene contents. However, as the observed improvements in micronutrient bioavailability and status are relatively small, measuring the positive outcomes is more likely to be impactful only if the FtFF products are consumed as regular staples. Considering best practices in implementation of FtFF, raw material authentication and ingredient documentation are critical, especially as the contents of target micronutrients and bioavailability modulators as well as the microbiological quality of the plant-based fortificants can vary substantially. Also, as there are only few developed supply chains for plant-based fortificants, procurement of consistent materials may be problematic. This, however, provides the opportunity for value chain development, which can contribute towards the economic growth of communities, or hybrid approaches that leverage traditional premixes to standardize product micronutrient content.

Bargaining power, decision making, and biofortification: The role of gender in adoption of orange sweet potato in Uganda

We examine the role of gender dimensions of intrahousehold bargaining power and decision making in the adoption and diffusion of orange sweet potato (OSP), a biofortified crop being promoted to increase dietary intakes of vitamin A in Uganda. We use patterns of ownership and control of land and other assets by married men and women to create gender-disaggregated indicators of bargaining power, allowing for joint and sole ownership and control of land and assets. Using data from an experimental evaluation of a project promoting OSP adoption, we find that the probability of adopting OSP is not affected by the exclusive or joint control of assets by women at the household level. However, within households, parcels of land under joint control, in which the woman has primary control over decision making, are significantly more likely to contain OSP. Women who control a higher share of household nonland resources are more likely to share OPS vines, showing that women use greater bargaining power to facilitate diffusion of this health-promoting technology. We do not find any impact of women's bargaining power on children's dietary intakes of Vitamin A, possibly because husbands and wives have the same preferences regarding their children's nutritional status. These results contribute to reshaping our understanding of household decision making to inform the design and implementation of agriculture-nutrition interventions.

Snack Development for School Feeding Programs in Africa: A Scoping Review

The benefits of school feeding have been well documented. As such, school feeding programs have continuously gained popularity in developing countries. However, challenges and potential opportunities persist, calling for a review of school feeding for long-term sustainability. South Africa has an opportunity to improve their National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) by including an energy-dense snack that would increase the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of school children to meet at least 25% of their energy requirements. The objective of this scoping review was to conduct a review and an appraisal of studies on snack food development for school feeding programs in Africa. Eligible studies had to report snack development for school feeding programs in Africa. We conducted an electronic search in National Research Foundation (NRF) NEXUS, Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO), International Food Information Service (IFIS), Nutrition and Food Sciences Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI.ORG), and Google Scholar. Of the 429 articles identified, nine studies were included in the final review-five from within South Africa and four from elsewhere in Africa. Data extracted included the study design, intervention, outcomes, relevant findings, and limitations. Results were presented in a narrative summary. The review findings showed that energy-rich staple foods and food fortification were commonly used in snack development. The popular snack products developed included porridges and biscuits. While most studies reported nutritional outcomes, few studies reported on sensory acceptability tests and only two studies conducted a cost analysis. This review of previous snack development initiatives for school feeding programs in Africa underscores the importance of establishing the sustainability of any food product developed. The findings of this review have the potential to inform future snack product development for school feeding programs.

Biofortified Crops for Combating Hidden Hunger in South Africa: Availability, Acceptability, Micronutrient Retention and Bioavailability

In many poorer parts of the world, biofortification is a strategy that increases the concentration of target nutrients in staple food crops, mainly by genetic manipulation, to alleviate prevalent nutrient deficiencies. We reviewed the (i) prevalence of vitamin A, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies; (ii) availability of vitamin A, iron and Zn biofortified crops, and their acceptability in South Africa. The incidence of vitamin A and iron deficiency among children below five years old is 43.6% and 11%, respectively, while the risk of Zn deficiency is 45.3% among children aged 1 to 9 years. Despite several strategies being implemented to address the problem, including supplementation and commercial fortification, the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is still high. Biofortification has resulted in the large-scale availability of βcarotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), while provitamin A biofortified maize and Zn and/or iron biofortified common beans are at development stages. Agronomic biofortification is being investigated to enhance yields and concentrations of target nutrients in crops grown in agriculturally marginal environments. The consumer acceptability of OFSP and provitamin A biofortified maize were higher among children compared to adults. Accelerating the development of other biofortified staple crops to increase their availability, especially to the target population groups, is essential. Nutrition education should be integrated with community health programmes to improve the consumption of the biofortified crops, coupled with further research to develop suitable recipes/formulations for biofortified foods.

Understanding innovation: The development and scaling of orange-fleshed sweetpotato in major African food systems

The development and scaling of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) during the past 25 years is a case study of a disruptive innovation to address a pressing need - the high levels of vitamin A deficiency among children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. When the innovation was introduced consumers strongly preferred white or yellow-fleshed sweetpotato, so it was necessary to create a demand to respond to that need. This was at odds with the breeding strategy of responding to consumers' demands. Additional elements of the innovation package include seed systems and nutrition education to create the awareness amongst consumers of the significant health benefits of OFSP. Complementary innovation is required in promotion and advocacy to ensure a supportive institutional environment. Four dimensions-- technical, organizational, leadership, and institutional environment-- are explored across five distinct phases of the innovation process, from the emergence of the innovative idea (1991-1996) through scaling phase in 15 countries under a major institutional innovation (2015-mid-2019), the Sweetpotato for Profit and Health Initiative (SPHI). Systematically gathering evidence of nutritional impact and ability to scale cost-effectively was requisite for obtaining support for further development and diffusion of the crop. Positive findings from a major study coincided with a major change in the institutional environment which placed agriculture and nutrition at the forefront of the development agenda, resulting in an inflection point in both research and diffusion investment. The role of committed leadership during all phases was critical for success, but particularly during the first decade of limited support in a challenging institutional environment. The most critical technical achievement underpinning scaling was moving from 2 to 13 African countries having local breeding programs. Evidence is presented that adapted, well performing varieties which consumers prefer is the foundation for successful scaling to occur. Building a cadre of within country and regional advocates was critical for getting sustained commitment and local buy-in to the concept of biofortification by regional bodies and governments, which in turn built within country ownership and the willingness of donors to invest. The SPHI united diverse organizations under a common vision with a simple metric--- the number of households reached with improved varieties of sweetpotato. Since 2009, 6.2 million households were reached by July 2019 in 15 SSA countries. Much more remains to be done. Advocacy efforts led to the integration of nutritious foods into many national and regional policies, setting the stage for further investment.

Sensory Analysis of a Processed Food Intended for Vitamin A Supplementation

Provitamin A and pre-formed vitamin A compounds are essential micronutrients for humans. However, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects the health status of nearly 50% of populations in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and is especially pronounced in preschool children and pregnant women. The objective of this research was to determine an acceptable flavor/ingredient combination to produce a palatable food product that incorporates sweet potatoes, peanut paste, and chickpeas. We sought to determine the acceptability of the three product formulations and to determine the influence of demographic data on ratings for the sensory attributes of each sample. To address VAD issues, three formulations of a product incorporating sweet potato puree (to increase β-carotene content), pure peanut butter (to provide fat for β-carotene absorption), and chickpeas (to provide a complete protein source), were developed: (1) an unflavored control, and two formulations with added natural seasonings: (2) curry-flavored, and (3) pumpkin spice-flavored. Sensory analysis of the three products showed that the curry-flavored product received the highest acceptability in terms of overall liking, flavor, texture, and appearance (p < 0.001). Since the demographic effect was not statistically significant (p > 0.05), it is highly likely that the curry-flavored product can be implemented in other countries or areas with high acceptability.

Determination of carotenoids in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L., Lam) tubers: Implications for accurate provitamin A determination in staple sturdy tuber crops

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a global health problem, which despite significant financial investments and initiatives has not been eradicated. Biofortification of staple crops with β-carotene (provitamin A) in Low Medium Income Countries (LMICs) is the approach advocated and adopted by the WHO and HarvestPlus programme. The accurate determination of β-carotene is key to the assessment of outputs from these activities. In the present study, HPLC-PDA analysis displayed superior resolving power, separating and identifying 23 carotenoids in the orange sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) variety used, including only eight carotenoids with provitamin A properties. Additionally, the results evidently displayed that the use of lyophilised material facilitated the extraction of twice the amount of pigments compared to fresh material, which impacts the precise calculation of the provitamin A content. These results highlight that yellow to orange starchy edible crops produce a wide array of carotenoids in addition to β-carotene. Biosynthetically it is clear from the intermediates and products accumulating that the β-branch of the carotenoid pathway persists in sweet potato tuber material. Collectively, the data also have implications with respect to the determination and biosynthesis of provitamin A among staple crops for developing countries.

South African preschool children habitually consuming sheep liver and exposed to vitamin A supplementation and fortification have hypervitaminotic A liver stores: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

In some regions, multiple vitamin A (VA) interventions occur in the same target groups, which may lead to excessive stores. Retinol isotope dilution (RID) is a more sensitive technique than serum retinol to measure VA status.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated VA status before and after a high-dose supplement in preschool children living in a region in South Africa with habitual liver consumption and exposed to VA supplementation and fortification.

METHODS

After baseline blood samples, subjects (46.7 ± 8.4 mo; n = 94) were administered 1.0 μmol [14,15]-13C2-retinyl acetate to estimate total liver retinol reserves by RID with a follow-up 14-d blood sample. Liver intake was assessed with a frequency questionnaire. In line with current practice, a routine 200,000 IU VA capsule was administered after the RID test. RID was repeated 1 mo later. Serum retinyl esters were evaluated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

At baseline, 63.6% of these children had hypervitaminosis A defined as total liver retinol reserves ≥1.0 μmol/g liver, which increased to 71.6% after supplementation (1.13 ± 0.43 to 1.29 ± 0.46 μmol/g; P < 0.001). Total serum VA as retinyl esters was elevated in 4.8% and 6.1% of children before and after supplementation. The odds of having hypervitaminosis A at baseline were higher in children consuming liver ≥1/mo (ratio 3.70 [95% CI: 1.08, 12.6]) and in children receiving 2 (4.28 [1.03, 17.9]) or 3 (6.45 [0.64, 65.41]) supplements in the past 12 mo. Total body stores decreased after the supplement in children in the highest quartile at baseline compared with children with lower stores, who showed an increase (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

In children, such as this cohort in South Africa, with adequate VA intake through diet, and overlapping VA fortification and supplementation, preschool VA capsule distribution should be re-evaluated. This trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02915731 as NCT02915731.

Nutritional security through crop biofortification in India: Status & future prospects

Malnutrition has emerged as one of the most serious health issues worldwide. The consumption of unbalanced diet poor in nutritional quality causes malnutrition which is more prevalent in the underdeveloped and developing countries. Deficiency of proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals leads to poor health and increased susceptibility to various diseases, which in turn lead to significant loss in Gross Domestic Product and affect the socio-economic structure of the country. Although various avenues such as dietary-diversification, food-fortification and medical-supplementation are available, biofortification of crop varieties is considered as the most sustainable and cost-effective approach where the nutrients reach the target people in natural form. Here, we have discussed the present status on the development of biofortified crop varieties for various nutritional and antinutritional factors. Ongoing programmes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research on the improvement of nutritional traits in different crops have been presented. Challenges and future prospects of crop biofortification in India have also been discussed. The newly developed biofortified crop varieties besides serving as an important source for livelihood to poor people assume great significance in nutritional security.

Review on nutritional composition of orange-fleshed sweet potato and its role in management of vitamin A deficiency

A wide variety of the roots and tubers plays a major role in human diet, animal feed, and industrial raw materials. Sweet potatoes (SPs) play an immense role in human diet and considered as second staple food in developed and underdeveloped countries. Moreover, SP production and management need low inputs compared to the other staple crops. The color of SP flesh varied from white, yellow, purple, and orange. Scientific studies reported the diversity in SP flesh color and connection with nutritional and sensory acceptability. Among all, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) has been attracting food technologists and nutritionists due to its high content of carotenoids and pleasant sensory characteristics with color. Researchers reported the encouraging health effects of OFSP intervention into the staple food currently practicing in countries such as Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya, and Nigeria. Scientific reviews on the OFSP nutritional composition and role in vitamin A management (VAM) are hardly available in the published literature. So, this review is conducted to address the detailed nutritional composition (proximate, mineral, carotenoids, vitamins, phenolic acids, and antioxidant properties), role in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) management, and different food products that can be made from OFSP.

Advocacy for scaling up biofortified crops for improved micronutrient status in Africa: approaches, achievements, challenges and lessons

Biofortification is an approach used to increase micronutrient content of crops through agronomic practices, conventional or modern biotechnology. Through a plethora of projects, partnerships were formed to advocate for policy changes, and increased investments in research, production and utilisation of biofortified crops. One of such projects is the Building Nutritious Food Baskets project, which has been appraised in order to draw and share successes, challenges and lessons for the improvement of similar future projects to achieve substantial impacts. The paper provides an overview of the role of biofortification in addressing nutritional challenges and highlights the efficacy of biofortified crops in improving micronutrient status. Through advocacy at the African Regional and sub-regional levels, awareness has been created on biofortification among governments, investors, development partners, farmers and consumers. This awareness has resulted in the incorporation of biofortification in some key policies, strategies and investment programmes. Key lessons learnt from regional advocacy are (1) in order to integrate biofortification in regional policies, strategies and programmes, it is important to identify champions from key and strategic regional organisations as they provide information on potential opportunities for influencing policies, (2) having a common advocacy message helps to highlight the role of biofortification in contributing to the prevention of micronutrient problems as well as evidence of impact on nutrition outcome, (3) champions need to be allocated a budget to support their advocacy work and (4) to engender adoption of biofortification, it is important to align biofortification with relevant initiatives as well as ongoing opportunities for advocacy.

Manufacturing personalized food for people uniqueness. An overview from traditional to emerging technologies

Personalized nutrition means that we are unique in the way to absorb and to metabolize nutrients as a consequence of our genetic profile and the microbiome that we host in the gut. With the terminology of Personalized Food Manufacturing we want not only to stress the idea of the capability to manufacture food meeting our unique nutritional needs but - based on the idea that eating is a global experience - also to broad this to meet additional personal requirements and expectations, i.e. taste, texture, color, aspect, etc. To address this aim, traditional and advances technologies will have to be employed in new ways and new technological solutions will have to be implemented. All these considerations motivated our paper by which we want to explore and to discuss the technological options having the potential to produce personalized food. After pointing out the main diet styles, firstly we have analyzed the modern approaches of agricultural and animal nutrition in use to manufacture food for narrow group of consumers. Secondly, we have explored emerging technologies at disposal employable to manufacture customized food that meet our uniqueness. Finally the most important market products belonging in the sector of personalized food production have been considered.

Identification and Quantification of Carotenoids and Tocochromanols in Sorghum Grain by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Carotenoids and tocochromanols are lipid-soluble secondary plant metabolites that are essential for the normal functioning of plants and, in some cases function as a source of vitamin A and E in humans. Enhancement of the provitamin A carotenoid and tocochromanols levels in sorghum and other cereal grains through traditional breeding and transgenic methods has increased in recent years with interest in biofortification of grains to combat micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. With this increase in research, reliable methodology for the extraction, identification, and quantification of individual carotenoids and tocochromanols species from sorghum and other cereal grains is essential. Here, we describe a basic method for extraction of carotenoid and tocochromanols adapted to sorghum grain and chromatographic condition for separation, identification, and quantification of individual carotenoid using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system.

Sensory and cultural acceptability tradeoffs with nutritional content of biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties among households with children in Malawi

BACKGROUND

Biofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties are being promoted to reduce vitamin A deficiencies due to their higher beta-carotene content. For OFSP varieties to have impact they need to be accepted and consumed at scale amongst populations suffering from vitamin A deficiencies.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the sensory and cultural acceptability of OFSP varieties amongst households with children aged between 2-5 years old in two areas in Central and Southern Malawi using an integrated model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).

METHODS

Sensory acceptability was measured using a triangle, preference and acceptance test using three OFSP varieties and one control variety, among 270 adults and 60 children. Based on a food ethnographic study, a questionnaire on cultural acceptability was developed and administered to 302 caretakers. Data were analyzed by calculating Spearman's correlations between constructs and multiple linear regression modeling.

RESULTS

The sensory evaluation indicates that all three OFSP varieties are accepted (scores >3 on 5-point scale), but there is a preference for the control variety over the three OFSP varieties. Almost all caretakers are intending to frequently prepare OFSP for their child in future (97%). Based on regression analysis, the constructs 'subjective norms' (β = 0.25, p = 0.00) reflecting social pressure, and 'attitudes toward behavior' (β = 0.14 p = 0.01), reflecting the feelings towards serving their child OFSP, were the best predictors for caretakers' behavior to prepare OFSP for their child.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that both sensory and cultural attributes can influence acceptability of varieties and consumption amongst households with children. Considering these attributes can improve the impact of biofortified crops in future programming, by reducing Vitamin A deficiencies through the intake of these nutrient-rich crops.

β-Cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin are highly bioavailable from whole-grain and refined biofortified orange maize in humans with optimal vitamin A status: a randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled trial

Background

Biofortification of staple crops with β-carotene is a strategy to reduce vitamin A deficiency, and several varieties are available in some African countries. β-Cryptoxanthin (BCX)-enhanced maize is currently in field trials. To our knowledge, maize BCX bioavailability has not been assessed in humans. Serum retinol 13C content and xanthophyll concentrations are proposed effectiveness biomarkers for biofortified maize adoption.

Objective

We determined the relative difference in BCX and zeaxanthin bioavailability from whole-grain and refined BCX-biofortified maize during chronic feeding compared with white maize and evaluated short-term changes in 13C-abundance in serum retinol.

Design

After a 7-d washout, 9 adults (mean ± SD age: 23.4 ± 2.3 y; 5 men) were provided with muffins made from BCX-enhanced whole-grain orange maize (WGOM), refined orange maize (ROM), or refined white maize (RWM) for 12 d in a randomized, blinded, crossover study followed by a 7-d washout. Blood was drawn on days 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 19. Carotenoid areas under the curve (AUCs) were compared by using a fixed-effects model. 13C-Abundance in serum retinol was determined by using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope-ratio mass spectrometry on days 0, 12, and 19. Vitamin A status was determined by 13C-retinol isotope dilution postintervention.

Results

The serum BCX AUC was significantly higher for WGOM (1.70 ± 0.63 μmol ⋅ L-1 ⋅ d) and ROM (1.66 ± 1.08 μmol ⋅ L-1 ⋅ d) than for RWM (-0.06 ± 0.13 μmol ⋅ L-1 ⋅ d; P < 0.003). A greater increase occurred in serum BCX from WGOM muffins (131%) than from ROM muffins (108%) (P ≤ 0.003). Zeaxanthin AUCs were higher for WGOM (0.94 ± 0.33) and ROM (0.96 ± 0.47) than for RWM (0.05 ± 0.12 μmol ⋅ L-1 ⋅ d; P < 0.003). The intervention did not affect predose serum retinol 13C-abundance. Vitamin A status was within an optimal range (defined as 0.1-0.7 μmol/g liver).

Conclusions

BCX and zeaxanthin were highly bioavailable from BCX-biofortified maize. The adoption of BCX maize could positively affect consumers' BCX and zeaxanthin intakes and associated health benefits. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02800408.

Biofortification, Crop Adoption and Health Information: Impact Pathways in Mozambique and Uganda

Biofortification is a promising strategy to combat micronutrient malnutrition by promoting the adoption of staple food crops bred to be dense sources of specific micronutrients. Research on biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) has shown that the crop improves the vitamin A status of children who consume as little as 100 grams per day, and intensive promotion strategies improve dietary intakes of vitamin A in field experiments. However, little is known about OFSP adoption behavior, or about the role that nutrition information plays in promoting adoption and changing diet. We report evidence from similar randomized field experiments conducted in Mozambique and Uganda to promote OFSP. We further use causal mediation analysis to study impact pathways for adoption and dietary intakes. Despite different agronomic conditions and sweet potato cropping patterns across the two countries, the project had similar impacts, leading to adoption by 61% to 68% of farmers exposed to the project, and doubling vitamin A intakes in children. In both countries, two intervention models that differed in training intensity and cost had comparable impacts relative to the control group. The project increased the knowledge of key nutrition messages; however, added knowledge of nutrition messages appears to have minimally affected adoption, conditional on assumptions required for causal mediation analysis. Increased vitamin A intakes were largely explained by adoption and not by nutrition knowledge gained, though in Uganda a large share of impacts on vitamin A intakes cannot be explained by mediating variables. Similar impacts could likely have been achieved by reducing the scope of nutrition trainings. JEL codes: I15, O12, O13, Q12.