Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 139-150 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 144 5.3 Enhancers of iron absorption: Ascorbic acid, citric acid Some substances are in turn "good helpers" that can help the body absorb iron better. For example, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and citric acid are common factors that promote iron absorption. Citric acid can reduce the effects of phytic acid and combine with iron to form a soluble complex, which makes iron easier to absorb by the body (Huyskens et al., 2025). Studies have also found that when citric acid is added during hydrothermal treatment, the absorption rate of iron can be increased by nearly 10 times, indicating that it has great potential in fortified foods. 5.4 Processing methods: Milling, fermentation, parboiling. How wheat is processed can also affect iron absorption. Grinding (especially fine grinding) can break down cell walls, making the iron inside easier to release (Aslam et al., 2024). Fermentation and pre-cooking are also useful. They can break down phytic acid and other substances that hinder iron absorption, thereby improving iron utilization (Abid et al., 2017; Diego Quintaes et al., 2017). If heat-treated with citric acid water, iron absorption can be greatly improved (Huyskens et al., 2025). Some traditional processes, such as fermentation and baking, have also been shown to help iron absorption (Diego Quintaes et al., 2017). 6 Breeding Progress and Available Iron-Rich Wheat Varieties 6.1 Notable varieties released globally: e.g., India’s WB02 and WB03 In recent years, many countries have successfully launched high-iron wheat varieties through biofortification breeding. For example, India has released 40 such varieties, including WB02 and WB03. These wheats have been promoted for cultivation in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Bolivia and Nepal (Gupta et al., 2024). Nepal also launched 5 new varieties in 2020. These wheats are not only high-yielding and disease-resistant, but also have 30% to 40% higher iron and zinc content than ordinary wheat (Thapa et al., 2022). In addition, South Asia and Mexico have also developed a number of wheat varieties with high iron and zinc content (Velu et al., 2019). 6.2 Yield vs. nutrition trade-offs In the breeding process, how to improve yield and nutrition at the same time has always been a difficult problem. Some experiments have shown that there is not much relationship between iron and zinc content and yield, and sometimes it may even be a bit opposite (Govindan et al., 2022; Thapa et al., 2022; Wani et al., 2022). However, through purposeful hybridization and screening of large populations, some high-yield and iron-rich strains have been selected. These strains can improve nutrition and yield together (Velu et al., 2019; Govindan et al., 2022; Thapa et al., 2022). The yield of some high-iron and high-zinc wheat can reach or exceed 95% to 110% of ordinary varieties (Velu et al., 2019). 6.3 Multi-location trials and stability To know whether a variety is stable and suitable for different places, you have to do multi-point field trials for many years. The results showed that different locations and years will affect yield and iron and zinc content. However, most biofortified wheats are stable in multiple locations and have strong genetics (Govindan et al., 2022; Thapa et al., 2022). In 2022, Govindan's team found in a trial in Nepal that the iron and zinc levels in different places are indeed different, but these high-iron varieties are better than ordinary varieties in terms of yield and nutrition (Thapa et al., 2022). 6.4 Role of CGIAR and HarvestPlus programs CGIAR's CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) and the HarvestPlus project have played an important role in the global promotion of biofortified breeding. HarvestPlus and global partners have released or tested 393 biofortified crop varieties, covering 63 countries and helping more than 48 million people (Cakmak et al., 2010; Virk et al., 2021; Kumar et al., 2023). CIMMYT and other CGIAR institutions are also using new methods such as high-throughput phenotyping, genomic selection, and rapid breeding to promote the promotion of high-iron and high-zinc wheat (Virk et al., 2021; Govindan et al., 2022; Wani et al., 2022). These international collaborations not only bring new wheat varieties, but also support nutrition research, policy making, and impact assessment, contributing to global food and nutrition security (Cakmak et al., 2010; Virk et al., 2021; Kumar et al., 2023).
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