Vitamin A Enriched Peanuts and Bananas have many Positives.

Peanuts and Bananas can be packed with nutritional goodies using biofortification.

First the nuts.

GM Peanut is Enriched with Vitamins

- Manila Bulletin, October 23, 2006 http://www.mb.com.ph/

Andhra Pradesh, India -- A genetically-modified (GM) peanut will no longer merely be protein-rich but also pro-Vitamin A-rich with betacarotene genes from corn now being embedded into it by a Filipino-headed international research agency.

Since 2003, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been developing peanut with Vitamin A enhancement in answer to extensive Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) specially among children in developing countries.

Dr. Kiran K. Shirma, ICRISAT principal scientist genetic transformation and agribusiness incubator head, said peanut holds a high potential of Vitamin A enhancement more than other crops. "Vitamin A is oil-soluble. If it’s put in peanut, you can aim for higher levels," he said.

Peanut may have advantage over rice in this nutrient enrichment since the pro-Vitamin A betacarotene-rich Golden Rice being developed by scientists has only 22 micrograms up to 37 (MCG) per gram betacarotene content. But the GM peanut’s potential betacarotene level is a significantly more. "We don’t know how much we can get, but we aim for 500 to 600 micrograms per gram. It’s achievable because there is a similar study in mustard which has 30 to 40 percent oil (where nutrient level was raised substantially using the same strategy)," he said.

ICRISAT has been pushing for acceleration of crops’ GM development considering its tremendous role in enhancing food security and nutrition in the poor. "We have discussions with the US and India on how we can have GMO (genetically modified organisms) much faster from laboratory to farm," said Dr. William D. Dar, (a former Philippine agriculture secretary who is on top of ICRISAT’s worldwide operation as director general) in an interview.

Speeding up of commercialization of GMOs to him is important. "Stricter government regulation is hindering commercialization of GMOs. Of course we’d like to be bio-safety conscious, but not to the point of (delaying it and allow) food shortage," he said.

The 500 MCG per gram level is already satisfactory since this is just the Vitamin A normal recommended daily intake. "When you eat bio-fortified peanut even in small quantity, you can get the daily requirement. If it exceeds, this oil-soluble substance is not harmful. And peanut oil is neutral oil. It’s not bad for the heart," said Shirma.

Field testing of the variety will be in about three years. ICRISAT will first conduct field testing in India and then in other collaborating countries. "This material is relevant to anyone. Once we’re satisfied with the requirement, we can help any country and they can put it in their background," he said.

Rice breeders could only possibly enhance peanut’s Vitamin A content through genetic modification since there is no other peanut variety found to be rich in Vitamin A. "This is a good example where a gene is brought from corn to peanut. By conventional breeding you can’t do that."

The other factor ICRISAT has to test is bioavailability or the human body’s capacity to absorb Vitamin A from betacarotene. Betacarotene molecule conversion to Vitamin A varies from 1:2 to 1:32 depending on how betacarotene is consumed together with other foods. The research agency may begin animal testing simultaneous with field testing in two years. "We need to see how it performs in field condition," he said.

Bio-availability will be tested on an animal called gerbil, a small mammal, which has shown to have the same bio-availability rate as human. ICRISAT is also working on a drought-resistant peanut which will use drought-resistant genes from a crucifer called "avabidopsis italiana." This it started three years ago in partnership with the Japanese International Research Center Agricultural System (JIRCAS) as Japan is interested in basic GM research even if the country itself does not consume GM goods.

The Vitamin A enrichment project is financed by the Harvest Plus which gets funding from the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) and the William and Melinda Gates Foundation. VAD is reportedly inflicting 100 to 200 million children worldwide and is causing one to 2.5 million deaths in preschool children. In the Philippines, VAD is inflicting two in very 10 pregnant and lactating women and four in every 10 children aged six months to five years.


But don't forget Bananas. In another rececent press announcement, Australian contributions to this African staple get top billing.


Scientists work on making a better banana
AAP NEWSFEED
Paul Osborne

Oct 24, 2006

Brisbane - Australian researchers are working on growing a better banana that may hold the key to improving the health of Africans.

This item says scientists at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), opened at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane
today, are investigating ways of improving the nutrient content of one of Africa's staple foods - the banana. Unlike the bananas sold in Australia, the East African highland banana is low in nutrients, especially iron, iodine and vitamin A.

Every Ugandan eats around 1kg of the low-nutrient bananas every day and as a result, nearly half the children under the age of five have iron-deficient anaemia and many children suffer from night blindness due to vitamin A deficiency.

Mothers also suffer, with about 30 per cent of maternal deaths in childbirth due to iron deficiency.

The project's 15 scientists based in Uganda and Brisbane are using a process known as "bio-fortification" which uses genetic engineering to boost vitamins, minerals and protein levels.

Project leader Professor James Dale said it would take around two and a half years from the time a gene was inserted to get fruit in the field.

Prof Dale said it was better to work with crops that were already in existence in Africa than try to introduce something new...