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Health impact in China of folate-biofortified rice

Nature Biotechnology volume 28, pages 554–556 (2010)Cite this article

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Despite efforts to reduce the burden of malnutrition, large numbers of people still consume insufficient micronutrients, including folate1. Folate deficiency, characterized by a suboptimal daily intake of folate (<400 μg) may lead to the onset of diseases and disorders, such as neural-tube defects (NTD), megaloblastic anemia and aggravation of iron-deficiency anemia2. In line with the main micronutrient deficiencies (zinc, iron and vitamin A), folate deficiency is more prevalent in less developed, non-Western countries. In China, for instance, ∼20% of the population is considered to be folate deficient3 (for an overview on folate deficiency and NTDs, see Supplementary Discussion, sections 2 and 3, respectively).

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Acknowledgements

With respect to rice consumption data, we acknowledge the assistance provided by F. Gale of the USDA Economic Research Service, Washington, DC. This investigation received financial support from Ghent University, through the Special Research Fund (BOF GOA 1251204).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Hans De Steur, Xavier Gellynck & Jacques Viaene

  2. Department of Physiology, Unit Plant Hormone Signalling and Bio-imaging, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Sergei Storozhenko & Dominique Van Der Straeten

  3. Rural Economy Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, P.R. China

    Ge Liqun

  4. Department of Bioanalysis, Laboratory of Toxicology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Willy Lambert

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  1. Hans De Steur
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  4. Ge Liqun
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Correspondence to Hans De Steur.

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De Steur, H., Gellynck, X., Storozhenko, S. et al. Health impact in China of folate-biofortified rice. Nat Biotechnol 28, 554–556 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0610-554

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