IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS USING BIOFORTIFICATION STRATEGIES

Abstract

An analysis of the state of nutrition of people in Ukraine shows that the population does not eat well, which significantly worsens the state of their health and working capacity. The solution to the problem is possible through changes in the structure of nutrition, and above all, through an increase in the diet of vegetables and fruits of high quality, the varieties of which have been created using biofortification strategies. Biofortification is an innovative and promising approach in solving global problems related to nutrition. The goal of biofortification is to create plants with increased levels of the necessary functional ingredients absorbed from the soil, as well as those synthesized in the plant. Biofortification strategies consist in the development of optimal ways of mineral nutrition of plants, the creation of new species using molecular genetic approaches, and the use of traditional breeding methods. The purpose of the research is to analyze the modern experience of creating varieties of various fruit and vegetable crops with the help of biofortification strategies, which have an increased content of functional ingredients. Based on the literature review, it was established that for many years, an unconventional direction of selection has been developing – the creation of varieties and hybrids of fruits and vegetables with the recommended chemical composition. Created varieties of vegetables and fruits with increased protein content (nuts and legumes); starch (potato); carotenoids, dry matter, disaccharides (carrot, pumpkin); vitamin C, betanin, sugars (table beet); selenium (tomatoes); bioflavonoids, vitamin C (cabbage vegetables); macro- and microelements (bulb vegetables), etc. Such raw materials can be used to create special purpose products, which will significantly improve the quality of the population's diet and health. It is shown that the development of the non-traditional direction in breeding remains promising, and the study of samples of the domestic collection of agricultural crops and the selection of the best varieties from them for various directions of use, and especially for the production of special purpose products, is an important national economic and scientific task of an innovative nature that must be developed, therefore that the problem of improving the nation should come first.