Chapter 9. Biofortification of Staple Crops

Micronutrient malnutrition, also called “hidden hunger”, caused by the deficiency of micronutrients in the diet, afflicts more than two billion people worldwide, especially women and preschool age children (Welch and Graham 2002; White and Broadley, 2009) in the developing countries who are largely dependent on staple food crops. The consequences, in terms of malnutrition and health, are devastating and can result in blindness, stunting, diseases, and even death. The major reason for micronutrient deficiency in the populations of third world countries is the predominance of non-diversified cereal and plant-based diets, which are poor in micronutrients, as compared with the meat-rich diets of people in developed countries (FAO, 2004; Grotz and Geurinot, 2006; Gomez-Galera et al., 2010). Moreover, processes like polishing, milling, and pearling of cereals make them even poorer in micronutrients (Welch and Graham, 2004; Borg et al., 2009). Anti-nutritional factors such as phytic acid, fibers, and tannins further reduce the bioavailability of these minerals from dietary intakes by preventing their absorption in the intestine (White and Broadley, 2005; Brinch-Pederson et al., 2007; Pfeiffer and McClafferty, 2007).