The production and promotion of nutrient rich foodstuffs to address the double burden of malnutrition.
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Holloway University of London
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
The United Nations have declared 2016 to 2025 as the decade of action to eradicate all forms of malnutrition worldwide; ensuring access to healthier and more sustainable diets for all, regardless of location and whoever they are. This brief also encompasses the double burden of malnutrition now facing most societies and characterised by the coexistence of undernutrition along with overweight, obesity or diet-related noncommunicable disease (NCDs). The proposed project "NUTRIFOOD" will improve the nutritional quality of diets in West Africa by identifying new nutritionally enhanced varieties of tomato, amaranth, cassava and yam; incorporating these fruits and vegetables and their derived products into the food systems will diversify the existing food basket and provide improved quality. The project will draw upon global resources and expertise, utilising unique germplasm. The tools and resources developed are generic in nature and although our focus will be Nigeria and Benin in West Africa the findings can be translated across other SSA countries and Low Medium Income countries globally. Fruit and vegetables are rich in provitamin A. One of our key performance indicators will be the provision of foodstuffs with the potential to reduce Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). VAD is widespread in low-income countries and prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where 83% of children aged 2 to 5 years exhibit VAD. As a result of this malnutrition, 500,000 cases of blindness and 1.25 million deaths occur annually. With this aim, NUTRIFOOD will focus on high provitamin A fruits and vegetables as well as the high caloric staple crops cassava and yam biofortified with provitamin A and other nutrients The processing approaches used will potentially create storable products with improved nutrient uptake. As vitamin A is essential for well-being in the first 1000 days of life and the development of children, schools and households will be target in NUTRIFOOD. In Benin and Nigeria nutritional interventions in schools will be carried out. Potentially, these studies could contribute to the alleviation of VAD and improved cognitive development in infants. Modern communication technologies and approaches will be used to communicate the advantages of healthy diets and how to generate healthy diets in a cost-effective manner. The consortium will carried out a series of workshops to which multi-actors across the supply chain will be invited. With, scientists, NGO representatives, policy makers, parents (mothers) and civil organisations involved co-design approaches to the implementation of healthy diets will be attempted and promoted.
Planned Impact
NUTRIFOOD activities are aligned to, and synergistic with, the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending all forms of malnutrition (SDG2) and ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages (SDG3). Benefits of the research proposal will include short to long-term societal and economic development in our principal partner countries, Nigeria and Benin. In addition, the project's outputs have potential transferable impact across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond including Latin America. Thus, the project has global potential to address the double burden of malnutrition at the levels of individuals, households and populations.
A wealth of scientific evidence is available, linking diets to improved health, wellbeing and quality of life. It is estimated that nearly one in three persons globally suffers from at least one form of malnutrition or diet-related noncommunicable disease (NCD). The developmental, economic, social and medical impacts of this global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries. The vast economic losses and welfare costs associated with diet related disease states are estimated to be $2 trillion USD or a 3% global GDP loss. Diversification of foods and improved nutritional quality as advocated in NUTRIFOOD and represents a cost-effective means of addressing the double burden of malnutrition.
In NUTRIFOOD we have a focus on Vitamin A deficiency (VAD); because our activities are directed towards households and children, especial the first 1000 days of life. VAD is widespread in low-income countries and prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where 83% of children aged 2 to 5 years exhibit VAD. As a result of this malnutrition, 500,000 cases of blindness and 1.25 million deaths occur annually. NUTRIFOOD will diversify and introduce biofortified beta carotene foodstuffs across the food system to directly impact on VAD.
NUTRIFOOD offers the SSA and Latin American farmers and their countries' economies an opportunity to develop new income streams and business/enterprise opportunities, linking poor rural communities to growth markets that impact on food security, poverty alleviation, and equity. In addition, the project outputs have improved health promoting properties, quality and environmental credentials. These opportunities will potentially improve the livelihoods of small holder farmers and subsequently all associated parties across the supply chain. These advances will also create employment/business opportunities both domestically and overseas. This will increase revenue generation, advance much needed rural development and increase individual and national prosperity. A key feature of the NUTRIFOOD programme is the direct engagement with households and children as well as multi-actors from small holder farmers and across the supply chains, encompassing local industries and retailers. Therefore, the outputs from the project will be evaluated under "real-life" scenarios with input and engagement across the potential supply chain. The multi-actor parties involved will be supported by IITA's, CIAT's and AVRDC's local engagement activities, providing web-based advice, open days and helpdesks, technology transfer events and procedures to assist the adoption of new improved varieties, cultivation and food processing practices and meal planning. Training and capacity building are an essential component of NUTRIFOOD. Specific training exchanges between all partners will be performed to ensure technology and information transfer. Thus, the NUTRIFOOD project will contribute to the development of skills and resources in the targeted regions. For example individual young scientists with expertise in plant breeding, nutritional, social science and analytical science with be generated. Our present estimate is that five new posts will be created, increasing critical mass in the field.
A wealth of scientific evidence is available, linking diets to improved health, wellbeing and quality of life. It is estimated that nearly one in three persons globally suffers from at least one form of malnutrition or diet-related noncommunicable disease (NCD). The developmental, economic, social and medical impacts of this global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries. The vast economic losses and welfare costs associated with diet related disease states are estimated to be $2 trillion USD or a 3% global GDP loss. Diversification of foods and improved nutritional quality as advocated in NUTRIFOOD and represents a cost-effective means of addressing the double burden of malnutrition.
In NUTRIFOOD we have a focus on Vitamin A deficiency (VAD); because our activities are directed towards households and children, especial the first 1000 days of life. VAD is widespread in low-income countries and prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where 83% of children aged 2 to 5 years exhibit VAD. As a result of this malnutrition, 500,000 cases of blindness and 1.25 million deaths occur annually. NUTRIFOOD will diversify and introduce biofortified beta carotene foodstuffs across the food system to directly impact on VAD.
NUTRIFOOD offers the SSA and Latin American farmers and their countries' economies an opportunity to develop new income streams and business/enterprise opportunities, linking poor rural communities to growth markets that impact on food security, poverty alleviation, and equity. In addition, the project outputs have improved health promoting properties, quality and environmental credentials. These opportunities will potentially improve the livelihoods of small holder farmers and subsequently all associated parties across the supply chain. These advances will also create employment/business opportunities both domestically and overseas. This will increase revenue generation, advance much needed rural development and increase individual and national prosperity. A key feature of the NUTRIFOOD programme is the direct engagement with households and children as well as multi-actors from small holder farmers and across the supply chains, encompassing local industries and retailers. Therefore, the outputs from the project will be evaluated under "real-life" scenarios with input and engagement across the potential supply chain. The multi-actor parties involved will be supported by IITA's, CIAT's and AVRDC's local engagement activities, providing web-based advice, open days and helpdesks, technology transfer events and procedures to assist the adoption of new improved varieties, cultivation and food processing practices and meal planning. Training and capacity building are an essential component of NUTRIFOOD. Specific training exchanges between all partners will be performed to ensure technology and information transfer. Thus, the NUTRIFOOD project will contribute to the development of skills and resources in the targeted regions. For example individual young scientists with expertise in plant breeding, nutritional, social science and analytical science with be generated. Our present estimate is that five new posts will be created, increasing critical mass in the field.
Publications
Petrikova I
(2023)
The 'Nigerian Diet' and Its Evolution: Review of the Existing Literature and Household Survey Data.
in Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
Enfissi E
(2021)
New plant breeding techniques and their regulatory implications: An opportunity to advance metabolomics approaches
in Journal of Plant Physiology
Vazquez-Vilar M
(2023)
Dually biofortified cisgenic tomatoes with increased flavonoids and branched-chain amino acids content
in Plant Biotechnology Journal
D'Ambrosio C
(2023)
A xanthophyll-derived apocarotenoid regulates carotenogenesis in tomato chromoplasts.
in Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology
Berry H
(2023)
The characterisation of phytoene synthase-1 and 2, and 1-D-deoxy-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase genes from red chilli pepper ( Capsicum annuum )
in The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology
Price EJ
(2020)
Metabolite database for root, tuber, and banana crops to facilitate modern breeding in understudied crops.
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Title | Videos and interviews highlighting and promoting the work of NutriFood |
Description | Video highlighting and promoting the work of NutriFood |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Impact | Awareness and school gardens and the distribution of seed packs for fruit and vegetables. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_Rsvuglq9g |
Description | 1. A high provitamin A tomato has been produced. 2. A high zeaxanthin capsicum has been produced. 3. A high provitamin A cabbage has been identified. 4. A database of metabolites for RTB crops has been generated. 5. School and home gardens developed; this will impact on the trajectory of future diets in the regions. 6. School feeding programme established in regions of Nigeria, again this will impact on the trajectory of future healthy diets in the target regions. 7. Food metabolomics developed for chemical composition of meals, this represents a technology advance for the evaluation of food consumption in the region, improved food safety and assessment of biochemical and nutritional composition. 8. Food surveys for consumption produced, provides an indication of diets in the region and fruit and vegetable consumption. 9. Yam diversity and new consumer preference species identified, Yam has a low glycaemic index compared to cassava and banana and therefore potential reduce the onset of diabetes. Amaranth species with improved nutrient dense profiles identified, these lines can deliver improved xanthophyll, vitamin C and provitamin A contents. High beta carotene cassava characterised and its food products, these products will contribute to the eradication of healthy diets in the region. Cassava genetic and metabolomic diversity characterised to identify consumer and agronomic traits. These data have significant impact on the breeding of new varieties of cassava to compact food security and nutritional issues. Interaction and capacity established between UK scientists and those in LMICs, the award has enable the skillset of UK scientists to be developed for combating pertinent economic and societal questions facing the target region. |
Exploitation Route | Agri-industry and the introduction of new varieties this appproach is underway. The consortium has applied for further funding via a Horozon Europe call with the Uk as the coordinating partner. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Creative Economy Education Environment Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology Retail |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_Rsvuglq9g |
Description | Societal and cultural - highlighting the welfare benefits of consuming provitamin A |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | from external source |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Burpee Europe Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 09/2024 |
Title | Data base of metabolites in major crops in the region |
Description | Data base of metabolites in major crops in the region |
Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Biochemical composition of staple RTB crops. |
URL | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/tpj.14649 |
Title | https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14649 |
Description | https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14649 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14649 |
Description | Food ingredients |
Organisation | Nestlé Foundation |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Knowledge on varieties |
Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge on varieties |
Impact | Survey information |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Industrial collaboration |
Organisation | Syngenta International AG |
Department | Syngenta Ltd (Bracknell) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Analysis of volatiles present in the EpiRil population |
Collaborator Contribution | Funding |
Impact | outputs not ready yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Industrial partnership |
Organisation | Burpee Europe Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Analysis of breeding lines |
Collaborator Contribution | construction of breeding lines |
Impact | Not yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Title | Carotenoid standards |
Description | Carotenoid reference standards |
Type Of Technology | New Material/Compound |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | RHUL are selling the carotenoid reference standards. |
Description | Caturing metabolic diversity in yam |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Conference talk at PAG in the yam genomics session |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | College open days |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | College open days talks on the projects and discussion groups. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | General public |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Communication forum on New plant breeding techniques "People Jury" virtual |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Health conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | talk on squalne at Oxford Martins school Health workshop |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | New genetic technologies for substainable |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 20 students Bracknell and Wokingham college A-level and BTEC students practical and talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Plant Cell factories for sustainable production |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two open days for the general public talks and laboratory tours. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | School Visit Reading |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Ran chromatography practices in schools |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | School visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk and forum by Dr Enfissi on healthy diets and plant based foods |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | School visit, Bracknell |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 20 pupils talk and debate about Plant biotechnology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Schools taster day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | School science taster day |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Video showing Nutrifood activities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | https://zh-cn.facebook.com/102132524863334/videos/2841864039367835/?__so__=watchlist&__rv__=video_home_www_playlist_video_list |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://zh-cn.facebook.com/102132524863334/videos/2841864039367835/?__so__=watchlist&__rv__=video_ho... |
Description | solanaceae conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Talk at the solanaceae conference in 2022 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://sol2022.web.auth.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/XVII-Solanaceae-Conference-2022-PROGRAM_Oct.-... |