Provitamin A Crops: Acceptability, Bioavailability, Efficacy and Effectiveness
Loading...
Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Food and Nutrition Sciences
Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is the world’s commonest cause of childhood blindness. More than half of these cases occur in developing countries. Animal sourced foods though good sources of vitamin A are too expensive for poor rural people. Crops biofortified with provitamin A offer a convenient and accessible source of vitamin A. The other micro- nutrient programs of fortification and supplementation require more expensive inputs. Biofortification programs have developed crops that are rich in provitamin A. These crops include: maize, golden rice, cassava and orange fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). With exception of golden rice, the rest of the biofortified crops have received considerable accep-tance among the communities. Both animal and human studies have shown that provitamin A from biofortified crops is highly bioavailable and have capacity to improve vitamin A status. After several years of research and promotion, it is time to fully commercialize provitamin A crops by encouraging farmers to start their large scale production and con-sumption.
Description
Keywords
Biofortification, Provitamin A Crops, Acceptability, Bioavailability
Citation
Tumuhimbise, G. A., Namutebi, A., Turyashemererwa, F., & Muyonga, J. (2013). Provitamin A crops: acceptability, bioavailability, efficacy and effectiveness. Food and Nutrition Sciences. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2013.44055