Malnutrition is a problem across large swaths of the globe, but it’s a difficult problem to solve. It’s not only a matter of people getting enough to eat; they need to have the right combination of food as well. People in developing countries often subside on a very limited diet, which can lead to life-threatening vitamin deficiencies. Surprisingly, a genetically modified (GM) super-banana backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation might be a key weapon in the fight against malnutrition. Yeah, it’s not as sexy as the Gates-backed condoms.
So what makes it “super?” This banana is absolutely chock full of beta-carotene, which the body uses to produce vitamin A. That may not sound like a food with the potential to make an impact on malnutrition, but vitamin A deficiency is a huge problem in the developing world. World health experts estimate 650,000-700,000 children die annually from a lack of vitamin A in their diets. A further 300,000 avoid death only to lose their eyesight. By tweaking a few genes, scientists have created a banana that could prevent such things.
Beta-carotene itself is a large hydrocarbon molecule that has a deep orange color. If you’ve ever wondered why carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are orange, it’s because of all the beta-carotene they contain. Some species of bananas also produce higher levels of beta-carotene, but they aren’t the ones cultivated for human consumption. It’s these other bananas that Queensland University of Technology scientists used as the source of genetic material to create the super-banana.
Source: Extreme Tech