A process called biofortification puts nutrients directly into seeds and could reduce global hunger, but it’s not a magic bullet

In 2004, Donald Davis and fellow scientists at the University of Texas made an alarming discovery: 43 foods, mostly vegetables, showed a marked decrease in nutrients between the mid and late 20th century.

According to that research, the calcium in green beans dropped from 65 to 37mg. Vitamin A levels plummeted by almost half in asparagus. Broccoli stalks had less iron.

Nutrient loss has continued since that study. More recent research has documented the declining nutrient value in some staple crops due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels; a 2018 study that tested rice found that higher CO2 levels reduced its protein, iron and zinc content.

While the climate crisis has only accelerated concerns about crops’ nutritional value, prompting the emergence of a process called biofortification as a strategy to replenish lost nutrients or those that foods never had in the first place.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    147·
    8 months ago

    There’s that, but the bigger problem is all the scaremongering. People think GMO crops will kill them. Golden Rice could eradicate malnutrition for millions of people and it keeps getting rejected due to GMO fears.

    • CustodialTeapot@lemmy.world
      16·
      8 months ago

      Unfortunately not just that, but also similar to some potatoes, it’s capitalism killing it. golden Rice and their seeds are private and must be bought by a monopoly company only.

    • HubertManne@kbin.social
      3·
      8 months ago

      And this problem is really about GMO being considered as one thing. There is plenty of GMO that can be done that I don’t want but plenty I do. I want food to require QR codes that goes into detail on what the food is. Where it was grown, where it was processed, if its genetically modified have it spell out exactly what was done, etc.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        1·
        8 months ago

        The QR code thing is not a bad idea, but I think there should also be a central database, hopefully government-managed, where you can look it up before you get to the QR code or even the store.

        • HubertManne@kbin.social
          2·
          8 months ago

          yeah and it would actually not be that much more over the code. more than likely you would add the data and then make the QR code off of it.