Biofortified Crops – Boon for Nutritional Security

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies of iron, zinc, and vitamin-A are such serious global health issues, that it affects one out of every three people worldwide. The intensity of this “hidden hunger” compels us to acknowledge global nutritional security issues. Plant based food are the most popular and trending choices for people of all rungs of the social ladder. Biofortification is a sustainable and promising process of improving nutrition in plant based food through different agronomic approaches, conventional plant breeding and genetic engineering. Biofortified crops have been developed with high iron, high zinc, vitamin-A, with other nutritional quality enhancements and these crops have already proved to be a ‘boon for nutritional security’. This review highlights some selected Biofortified crops with special reference to rice ( Oryza sativa ), as 50% of the global population relies on it.