FA0905 - Mineral-improved crop production for healthy food and feed

The main objective of this Action is to identify bottlenecks limiting the content of bioavailable minerals (Fe, Zn, Mg, Se) in the consumable crop parts and to provide solutions for an approximately 3-fold increase in bioavailable food/feed mineral content but at the same time limit the entry of bioavailable Cd and As in food/feed to safe standards so as to consequently improve and protect human and animal health.

Global food systems are failing to provide adequate quantities of essential nutrients and other factors needed for good health, productivity and well-being of people. Improving content especially of Fe, Zn, Mg and Se will improve the nutritional value of crop-derived food or feed, potentially enhancing human and animal health. At the same time, the content of toxic minerals, Cd and As, and anti-nutritional compounds limiting mineral bioavailability, needs to be reduced to improve food safety. In this COST Action several bottlenecks in the food/feed production chain limiting mineral status will be addressed by employing agronomic, genomic, biotechnological, and innovative food processing techniques in an interdisciplinary and integrated approach. Four working groups will focus on soil mineral bioavailability; plant biology; food/feed processing; and food/feed mineral bioavailability related to human/animal health.