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Published on: June 3, 2020
Biofortification of kale with vitamin B12 and iodine for vegans using a vertical farming system
Seul Lee1, Mzia Benashvili1, Yong-Joon Park1
1Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Biotechnology and Natural Resources, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, 17546, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Vitamin B12 and iodine deficiencies are significant public health concerns and exhibit greater severity among vegans and vegetarians. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the multi-biofortification of kale with vitamin B12 and iodine in a hydroponic vertical farming system. During hydroponic cultivation, kale was treated with cyanocobalamin (CN) and KI for a week before harvest. Combination treatment with CN and KI (5 μmol/L each; CN5+KI5) enhanced accumulation efficiency compared with individual treatments, and the consumption of 67.9 g of multi-biofortified kale met the recommended dietary allowances of both vitamin B12 and iodine for adults. Moreover, CN5+KI5 treatment promoted the synthesis of specific secondary metabolites in kale, such as p-coumaric acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Notably, CN and KI biofortification did not negatively affect kale's growth, visual quality, or sensory properties. Our findings demonstrate that multi-biofortification of kale with CN and KI is a promising strategy for addressing nutritional deficiencies in vegans.
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