[New alternatives in the prevention of iron deficiency. Use of genetic engineering in food modification]

This article reviews the possible applications of new food biotechnology techniques to introduce some compounds into plants or animals. The potential for these plant modification methods has ample applications ranging from improvements in food production and development for human consumption, production of antibodies or therapeutic proteins, inclusion of nutrients to improve nutritional value of the food to production of vaccines. It must be clear though that currently the scope and consequences of such modifications are not completely clear. There is some concern about potential secondary effects and the hypothesis of the appearance of new viruses due to recombinant genetical transformations that have not been totally rejected. However the tendency is towards considering the process as safe. Finally some evidence is presented about the possibility of introducing the capacity to synthesize vitamin A in vegetables or produce rice with high content of iron as real alternatives to fight some of the nutritional deficiencies most common worldwide.