Abstract
In many poorer parts of the world, biofortification is a strategy that increases the concentration of target nutrients in staple food crops, mainly by genetic manipulation, to alleviate prevalent nutrient deficiencies. We reviewed the (i) prevalence of vitamin A, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies; (ii) availability of vitamin A, iron and Zn biofortified crops, and their acceptability in South Africa. The incidence of vitamin A and iron deficiency among children below five years old is 43.6% and 11%, respectively, while the risk of Zn deficiency is 45.3% among children aged 1 to 9 years. Despite several strategies being implemented to address the problem, including supplementation and commercial fortification, the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies is still high. Biofortification has resulted in the large-scale availability of βcarotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP), while provitamin A biofortified maize and Zn and/or iron biofortified common beans are at development stages. Agronomic biofortification is being investigated to enhance yields and concentrations of target nutrients in crops grown in agriculturally marginal environments. The consumer acceptability of OFSP and provitamin A biofortified maize were higher among children compared to adults. Accelerating the development of other biofortified staple crops to increase their availability, especially to the target population groups, is essential. Nutrition education should be integrated with community health programmes to improve the consumption of the biofortified crops, coupled with further research to develop suitable recipes/formulations for biofortified foods.
Highlights
Hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiency, is a leading global problem of public health importance, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and East, South Eastern and Western Asia (Refer toTable 1) [1]
A recent systematic review conducted in four sub-Saharan African countries (South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya) revealed that the prevalence of Iron deficiency (ID) anaemia ranged from 25–53%, ID from 12–29%, Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) from 14–42% and zinc deficiency (ZnD) from 32–63% in persons aged 0 to 19 years [15]
This could be attributed to the consumption of foods devoid of vitamin A, as evidenced in the National Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) of 1999, which reported that 50% of children had a vitamin A intake of less than half the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) [27]
Summary
Micronutrient deficiency, is a leading global problem of public health importance, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and East, South Eastern and Western Asia A recent systematic review conducted in four sub-Saharan African countries (South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya) revealed that the prevalence of ID anaemia ranged from 25–53%, ID from 12–29%, VAD from 14–42% and ZnD from 32–63% in persons aged 0 to 19 years [15]. The South African Government formulated and implemented various strategies to overcome micronutrient deficiencies These included dietary diversification, supplementation and commercial food fortification [16,17]. These strategies have not adequately addressed micronutrient deficiencies because nutritional supplements, commercially fortified foods and diversified foods, including animal food sources, are unaffordable and inaccessible to the rural poor [18,19] To this end, biofortification has been suggested as a feasible alternative. This paper aimed to review the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin A, iron and Zn) in South Africa. The scientific literature was complemented with documented information on South African Food and Nutrition Security Policies and Strategies, which was obtained from the National and Provincial Governments Gazettes of the Republic of South Africa
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