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Bio-fortification may ease food crisis: IAEA

New York: In the backdrop of current global food crisis, bio-fortification, a fairly new technique to improve nutrition through conventional plant breeding, was discussed at meeting of scientists organised by the IAEA.

IAEA uses nuclear techniques to evaluate bio-availability and efficacy in humans, said Lena Davidsson, who heads the agency’s Nutritional and Health-related Environmental Studies Section.

Unlike traditional means to add nutrients to food in the processing stages, bio-fortification seeks to do this while staple plants are being grown, and these new crops could reach those who lack access to centrally processed fortified foods, she said.

With the bio-fortification strategy, scientists try to put more vitamins and minerals into the staples that the poor are already eating, added Ms. Davidsson.

IAEA has teamed up with HarvestPlus, a group of institutions working for better nutrition to poor, would develop the foods, while IAEA tests the body’s ability to use the nutrient-packed crops. — PTI

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