No abstract

The biofortification, process of nutrients creation for food crops, provides a sustainable strategy for rural populations in developing countries. Crops are created for greater levels of micronutrients, by using conventional and transgenic breeding methods. Recent studies provide evidence that biofortification is a promising strategy to combat nutritional deficits. Being a basic and common food of the population of developing countries, the flour got a significant attention as appropriate matrix for biofortification.

Selenium is an antioxidant trace mineral with important biochemical functions related to the enzymatic activity of selenoproteins. Due to a wide variation in the content of selenium from different plant sources, there is a high risk of deficiency of this nutrient in human nutrition, and particularly in the early childhood. Thus, the use of biofortified staple foods, namely selenium rice flour can be understood as an important trait, namely for food production for infants. This study aims to evaluate the importance of selenium biofortified rice flour, further considering baby foods.

Micronutrient deficiencies, namely those arising from zinc, pose serious human health problems. As a staple food crop, wheat is a major source of dietary energy and protein for the world's growing population, and a main target to reduce malnutrition via integration of agronomic fertilization practices. In this context, agronomic biofortification through fertilizer approaches, namely foliar application of Zn can increase grain Zn above the breeding target set by nutritionists. Nevertheless, zinc uptake and translocation, as well as milling yields and bioassimilation in the human intestinal mucosa must be also considered. This review synthesizes the progress made in the framework of the agronomic biofortification strategies for Zn enrichment of wheat, further considering the flour production and bioassimilation limitations.