Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 139-150 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 147 conducting long-term evaluations of the effects of nutritional improvement. Only in this way can iron-fortified wheat be promoted for a long time and truly improve people’s health (Kamble et al., 2022; Gupta et al., 2024; Ram et al., 2024). 10 Future Perspectives and Policy Implications The technology for iron-fortified wheat is advancing rapidly. New technologies such as bioinformatics and synthetic biology now make it easier to find genes related to iron, analyze their effects, and modify them precisely. These tools are expected to solve wheat's problems in absorbing, transporting, and storing iron. Some new inputs, such as nanofertilizers, are also thought to make iron more accessible to plants. At the same time, the use of microorganisms to help wheat absorb iron, combined with gene editing and multi-omics data, is also accelerating the breeding process, making iron fortification more efficient and precise. But relying on just one breeding method may not be enough. Combining traditional breeding, molecular breeding, and field management measures, such as using biofertilizers or conditioning soil methods, can improve the iron content and absorption rate in wheat grains. We can also use the combination of engineered microorganisms and plant genes to make wheat more likely to accumulate and transport iron, providing a new direction for the next step of comprehensive fortification. In order to truly promote iron-fortified wheat, efforts from all parties are needed. Governments, companies, and research institutions can promote the promotion and large-scale planting of new varieties through "public-private partnerships" (PPPs). At the same time, through popular science and nutrition education, more consumers can understand and accept such crops, which can help the market grow faster. Countries like India and Pakistan have already commercialized 40 iron-fortified wheat varieties. However, in some high-risk areas such as Africa, this technology has not been widely used and needs more promotion and support. We can introduce some encouraging policies, such as subsidies for farmers to grow iron-fortified wheat and support for enterprises to promote new varieties. At the same time, more money should be invested in basic research and technology applications to transform new achievements into real productivity as soon as possible. A more complete regulatory system should also be established to ensure that these new crops are safe, effective and sustainable. By strengthening international cooperation, it can also help some resource-deficient regions to fill the technological gap and jointly promote global nutrition security. Iron biofortification is a good way to solve "hidden hunger". It not only helps improve health, but also has economic and social benefits. As long as we continue to work hard in science, technology, policies and management, it is entirely possible that iron-fortified wheat will be widely promoted around the world and contribute to reducing malnutrition and achieving sustainable development goals. Acknowledgments We would like to express our gratitude to the two anonymous peer researchers for their constructive suggestions on our manuscript. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Abid N., Khatoon A., Maqbool A., Irfan M., Bashir A., Asif I., Shahid M., Brinch-Pedersen H., and Malik K.A., 2017, Transgenic expression of phytase in wheat endosperm increases bioavailability of iron and zinc in grains, Transgenic Research, 26(1): 109-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-016-9983-z Ali M.W., and Borrill P., 2020, Applying genomic resources to accelerate wheat biofortification, Heredity, 125(6): 386-395. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-020-0326-8 Aslam M.F., Arafsha S.M., Berry S.E., Bajka B., Ellis P.R., Latunde-Dada G.O., and Sharp P.A., 2024, Micronization of wholewheat flour increases iron bioavailability from hydrothermally processed wheat flour dough, Food Research International, 197: 115149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115149
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==