NPR

Could 'Hidden Hunger' Be Conquered With A Particle The Size Of A Grain Of Salt?

To pack a healthier punch into staple foods like flour, researchers borrowed technology from the pharmaceutical industry.
Ugali, a staple starch in many parts of Africa, is filling but lacking in micronutrients.

Staple foods and seasonings like flour and salt could be made more nutritious with a new technology that borrows from the pharmaceutical industry, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Two billion people worldwide suffer from so-called "hidden hunger" — they may eat enough calories to keep hunger at bay but don't get nearly enough micronutrients like iron, calcium and Vitamins A and B.

Hidden hunger is often the result of a diet that relies too much on staple carbohydrates like corn, rice and cassava that are low-cost and filling but not very

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
Hiking The Azores Into Lush Mountains And Stormy North Atlantic Weather
NPR correspondent Brian Mann went trekking on Sao Miguel, one of the most remote islands in the North Atlantic. He found volcanic mountains, birdsong, solitude and lots of rain.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.
NPR3 min read
U.S. Report Says It's 'Reasonable To Assess' That Israel Has Violated Humanitarian Law
The State Department finds it likely that the Israeli military has committed abuses, but stops short of reaching any sweeping or definitive conclusions.

Related Books & Audiobooks