Summary
This review, published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, examines strategies for biofortification of food crops grown in the UK, with a focus on addressing micronutrient deficiencies relevant to the British diet. White (2016) likely evaluates agronomic biofortification (e.g. selenium and iodine fertilisation), plant breeding, and genetic approaches as complementary tools for increasing the nutritional quality of staple crops. The paper situates these strategies within the context of UK soil conditions, cropping systems, and public health priorities, making it a useful reference for both agronomists and nutritionists.
UK applicability
The paper is directly applicable to UK conditions, addressing the specific challenges posed by selenium-poor and iodine-depleted UK soils, and considering crop species and farming practices characteristic of British agriculture. Its findings are relevant to UK food and farming policy discussions around nutrient density and dietary sufficiency.
Key measures
Mineral concentrations in crop tissues (mg/kg); dietary reference values and population intake estimates; comparison of biofortification strategies (agronomic, breeding, biotechnology)
Outcomes reported
The paper likely reviews the current status of biofortification approaches — including agronomic, conventional breeding, and biotechnological strategies — for improving the concentrations of minerals (such as selenium, iodine, zinc, and iron) and vitamins in UK food crops. It probably considers the potential dietary and public health benefits for the UK population alongside the feasibility and limitations of each approach.
Topic tags
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