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Food system strategies for preventing micronutrient malnutrition

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  • Miller, By Dennis D.
  • Welch, Ross M.

Abstract

Micronutrients are defined as substances in foods that are essential for human health and are required in small amounts. They include all of the known vitamins and essential trace minerals. Micronutrient malnutrition affects ⅓–½ of the global population. It causes untold human suffering and levies huge costs on society in terms of unrealized human potential and lost economic productivity. The goal of this paper is to identify deficiencies in the food system that lead to micronutrient malnutrition and explore and evaluate strategies for its prevention. We examine the impact of agricultural practices on micronutrients in the food supply, including cropping systems, soil fertility and animal agriculture. We then discuss the potential of biofortification – i.e. increasing the concentration of micronutrients in staple food crops through conventional plant breeding or genetic engineering– as a means to reduce micronutrient deficiency. In addition, we discuss the impact of food losses and food waste on micronutrients in the food supply, and we explore successful strategies to preserve micronutrients from farm to plate, including food fortification. Our review of the literature sheds light on the advantages and limitations of alternative interventions to reduce micronutrient deficiencies along the supply chain. We end with recommendations for actions that will reduce the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition.

Suggested Citation

  • Miller, By Dennis D. & Welch, Ross M., 2013. "Food system strategies for preventing micronutrient malnutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 115-128.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:42:y:2013:i:c:p:115-128
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2013.06.008
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    4. Kaleb S. Jada & Mequanint B. Melesse & Marrit Berg, 2023. "The effects of safety certification and nutrition messaging on the demand for nutritionally enhanced food in urban Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 395-409, April.
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    6. Gómez, Miguel I. & Barrett, Christopher B. & Raney, Terri & Pinstrup-Andersen, Per & Meerman, Janice & Croppenstedt, André & Carisma, Brian & Thompson, Brian, 2013. "Post-green revolution food systems and the triple burden of malnutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 129-138.
    7. Sanghyo Kim & Sang Hyeon Lee, 2020. "Examining Household Food Waste Behaviors and the Determinants in Korea Using New Questions in a National Household Survey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-24, October.
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    9. Béné, Christophe & Oosterveer, Peter & Lamotte, Lea & Brouwer, Inge D. & de Haan, Stef & Prager, Steve D. & Talsma, Elise F. & Khoury, Colin K., 2019. "When food systems meet sustainability – Current narratives and implications for actions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 116-130.
    10. Wen Peng & Elliot M Berry, 2018. "Global nutrition 1990–2015: A shrinking hungry, and expanding fat world," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-9, March.
    11. Usman, Muhammed A. & Mekonnen, Daniel A. & Kornher, Lukas & Braun, Joachim Von, 2021. "Effects of Short-Term Food Price Movements on Child Mortality: Evidence from Low- and Middle-Income Countries," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315112, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Viktorija Vaštakaitė-Kairienė & Aušra Brazaitytė & Jurga Miliauskienė & Rūta Sutulienė & Kristina Laužikė & Akvilė Viršilė & Giedrė Samuolienė & Erik S. Runkle, 2022. "Photon Distribution of Sole-Source Lighting Affects the Mineral Nutrient Content of Microgreens," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-14, July.
    13. Hennessey, Mathew & Fournié, Guillaume & Hoque, Md. Ahasanul & Kumar Biswas, Paritosh & Alarcon, Pablo & Ebata, Ayako & Mahmud, Rashed & Hasan, Mahmudul & Barnett, Tony, 2021. "Intensification of fragility: poultry production and distribution in Bangladesh and its implications for disease risk," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110297, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Ruerd Ruben & Jan Verhagen & Christine Plaisier, 2018. "The Challenge of Food Systems Research: What Difference Does It Make?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Mohamad G. Abiad & Lokman I. Meho, 2018. "Food loss and food waste research in the Arab world: a systematic review," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(2), pages 311-322, April.
    16. Gabriela Kurešová & Ladislav Menšík & Jan Haberle & Pavel Svoboda & Ivana Raimanová, 2019. "Influence of foliar micronutrients fertilization on nutritional status of apple trees," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(6), pages 320-327.
    17. Stefan Nier & Oliver Klein & Christine Tamásy, 2019. "Global Crop Value Chains: Shifts and Challenges in South-North Relations," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-16, March.
    18. Theriault, Veronique & Assima, Amidou & Vroegindewey, Ryan & Tschirley, David & Keita, Naman, 2017. "A City-Retail Outlet Inventory Of Processed Dairy And Grain Foods: Evidence From Mali," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 261675, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    19. Maria-Georgeta Moldovan & Dan-Cristian Dabija & Cristina Bianca Pocol, 2022. "Resources Management for a Resilient World: A Literature Review of Eastern European Countries with Focus on Household Behaviour and Trends Related to Food Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-13, June.
    20. Mequanint B. Melesse & Marrit Berg & Christophe Béné & Alan Brauw & Inge D. Brouwer, 2020. "Metrics to analyze and improve diets through food Systems in low and Middle Income Countries," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(5), pages 1085-1105, October.
    21. Abbade, Eduardo Botti, 2020. "Estimating the nutritional loss and the feeding potential derived from food losses worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).

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