Improved Pro Vitamin A cassava stems

Biofortified pro-vitamin A (yellow) Cassava is a cassava variety that has the potential to considerably contribute to enhancing vitamin A status. In order to encourage greater farmer adoption, this new group of pro-vitamin A cassava varieties has higher beta-carotene levels as well as corresponding agronomic traits.

Nutrition Information and Evidence of Vitamin A Cassava

In non-biofortified variations, the baseline vitamin A content is 0 parts per million (PPM).

100% of the recommended vitamin A content in vitamin A cassava cultivars is 15 PPM.

20% of vitamin A-biofortified cultivars of cassava are bioavailable.

When boiled or steam-cooked instead of baked or fried, vitamin A cassava keeps more of its vitamin A content. Cassava grains that have been biofortified but stored can lose most of their vitamin A content over time; for this reason, they should be consumed promptly after harvest.

Enough vitamin A is present in biofortified cassava to improve nutritional status and lessen vitamin A insufficiency.

Children’s vitamin A status and consumption are improved by feeding them vitamin A-rich cassava.