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Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025)

Ameliorating nutrition through biofortification: A strategy to combat hidden hunger - A review

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8461
Submitted
23 March 2025
Published
15-12-2025 — Updated on 26-12-2025
Versions

Abstract

More than 60 % of the world population suffers from iron deficiency and over 30 % of the global population has zinc deficiency. Micronutrient deficiency leads to compromised health like stunted growth, weakened immunity, cognitive impairment and increased susceptibility to infection and results in economic losses. It is prevalent in populations depending on non-diversified plant-based diets. The most common micronutrient deficiencies are vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anemia and iodine deficiency disorders, which affect one-third of the world’s population. Food fortification is an important strategy endorsed by the World Health Organization to combat this public health challenge, also referred to as “hidden hunger” (an individual is suffering from micronutrient deficiency). Increasing mineral content of staple food crops through biofortification is a promising and sustainable strategy of combating micronutrient malnutrition. Additionally, it will also enhance the agronomic efficiency of crops on poor mineral soils. A multipronged strategy towards enhancing mineral content of cereal grains should involve increased uptake of minerals from soil, enhanced partitioning towards grain and improved sequestration in the edible tissues of grains. At the same time, it is essential to improve mineral absorption of minerals in the human body from cereal-based diets. Both conventional and modern breeding approaches and genetic engineering are being employed for biofortification of crop plants. With increased understanding of mineral uptake and transport mechanisms in plants, it is becoming ever more possible to engineer biofortified crop plants, with the ultimate goal of overcoming hidden hunger.

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