Biofortified tomatoes provide a new route to vitamin D sufficiency

Nat Plants. 2022 Jun;8(6):611-616. doi: 10.1038/s41477-022-01154-6. Epub 2022 May 23.

Abstract

Poor vitamin D status is a global health problem; insufficiency underpins higher risk of cancer, neurocognitive decline and all-cause mortality. Most foods contain little vitamin D and plants are very poor sources. We have engineered the accumulation of provitamin D3 in tomato by genome editing, modifying a duplicated section of phytosterol biosynthesis in Solanaceous plants, to provide a biofortified food with the added possibility of supplement production from waste material.

MeSH terms

  • Food, Fortified / analysis
  • Provitamins
  • Solanum lycopersicum*
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D

Substances

  • Provitamins
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D