Blancquaert Dieter, De Steur Hans, Gellynck Xavier, Van Der Straeten Dominique
Laboratory of Functional Plant Biology, Department of Physiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Division Agri-Food Marketing & Chain Management, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2017 Feb;1390(1):59-73. doi: 10.1111/nyas.13274. Epub 2016 Nov 1.
Micronutrient deficiency is a widespread phenomenon, most prevalent in developing countries. Being causally linked to the occurrence of a range of diseases, it affects billions of people worldwide. Enhancing the content of micronutrients in crop products through biotechnology is a promising technique to fight micronutrient malnutrition worldwide. Micronutrient fortification of food products has been implemented in a number of Western countries, but remains inaccessible for poor rural populations in a major part of the developing world. Moreover, evidence of the negative impacts of this practice on human health, at least for some vitamins, is accumulating. Biofortification of crop plants-the enhancement of vitamins and minerals through plant biotechnology-is a promising alternative or complement in the battle against micronutrient deficiencies. Owing to a growing knowledge about vitamin metabolism, as well as mineral uptake and reallocation in plants, it is today possible to enhance micronutrient levels in crop plants, offering a sustainable solution to populations with a suboptimal micronutrient intake.
微量营养素缺乏是一种普遍现象，在发展中国家最为常见。它与一系列疾病的发生存在因果联系，影响着全球数十亿人口。通过生物技术提高农作物产品中的微量营养素含量，是全球对抗微量营养素营养不良的一项有前景的技术。一些西方国家已实施了食品的微量营养素强化，但在发展中世界的大部分地区，贫困农村人口仍无法获得。此外，这种做法对人类健康产生负面影响的证据，至少对于某些维生素而言，正在不断积累。通过植物生物技术提高作物中维生素和矿物质含量的作物生物强化，是对抗微量营养素缺乏斗争中一种有前景的替代方法或补充手段。由于对维生素代谢以及植物中矿物质吸收和重新分配的了解不断增加，如今有可能提高作物中的微量营养素水平，为微量营养素摄入量欠佳的人群提供可持续的解决方案。
