Thursday 25 June 2015

Food quality over food quantity (report)

Farmers and food researchers must focus on food quality over quantity to improve global nutrition and health, says a US think-tank. 2 billion people are malnourished because they lack essential micronutrients such as iron or vitamins, while nearly the same number are overweight. Agricultural research must solve both sides of this problem, says the report. Crops have typically been bred for size, visual appeal and yield, neglecting or unintentionally removing nutrients. Researchers should also involve end users — in particular women — in product development, to ensure new crops are acceptable replacements for existing foods
armers and food researchers must focus on food quality over quantity to improve global nutrition and health, says a US think-tank.

About two billion people in the world are malnourished because they lack essential micronutrients such as iron or vitamins, while nearly the same number are overweight, according to the UN. Agricultural research must solve both sides of this problem, says a report by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, presented in London, United Kingdom, last week (2 June).

“We consider mostly volume and we don’t consider substance enough,” says Catherine Bertini, a Chicago Council fellow and one of the report’s authors. In terms of research and development, crops have typically been bred for size, visual appeal and yield, neglecting or unintentionally removing nutrients, the report says.

Bertini urges scientists to focus on local crops. “Look into indigenous crops that are already either highly nutritious or could be made highly nutritious, and look for ways to both expand their [shelf] lives and to make them more available,” she says.

“Look into indigenous crops that are already either highly nutritious or could be made highly nutritious, and look for ways to both expand their [shelf] lives and to make them more available.”

Catherine Bertini, Chicago Council

Researchers should also involve end users — in particular women, who do much of the farming and cooking — in product development, Bertini suggests, to ensure new crops are acceptable replacements for existing foods. - See more at: http://www.scidev.net/global/nutrition/news/food-report-quality-matters.html#sthash.Li38R9Ml.dpuf
armers and food researchers must focus on food quality over quantity to improve global nutrition and health, says a US think-tank.

About two billion people in the world are malnourished because they lack essential micronutrients such as iron or vitamins, while nearly the same number are overweight, according to the UN. Agricultural research must solve both sides of this problem, says a report by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, presented in London, United Kingdom, last week (2 June).

“We consider mostly volume and we don’t consider substance enough,” says Catherine Bertini, a Chicago Council fellow and one of the report’s authors. In terms of research and development, crops have typically been bred for size, visual appeal and yield, neglecting or unintentionally removing nutrients, the report says.

Bertini urges scientists to focus on local crops. “Look into indigenous crops that are already either highly nutritious or could be made highly nutritious, and look for ways to both expand their [shelf] lives and to make them more available,” she says.

“Look into indigenous crops that are already either highly nutritious or could be made highly nutritious, and look for ways to both expand their [shelf] lives and to make them more available.”

Catherine Bertini, Chicago Council

Researchers should also involve end users — in particular women, who do much of the farming and cooking — in product development, Bertini suggests, to ensure new crops are acceptable replacements for existing foods. - See more at: http://www.scidev.net/global/nutrition/news/food-report-quality-matters.html#sthash.Li38R9Ml.dpuf

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