Scientists develop the world's first golden-orange bananas
- It is part of a humanitarian project to improve the nutritional content of the fruit
- The biofortified fruit is the world's first golden-orange banana rich in vitamin AÂ
- It is a major food staple in Uganda, which has a severe Vitamin A deficiency
- It is hoped the newly developed banana will save thousands of children
- An estimated 650,000-700,000 children die each year, many going blindÂ
Australian researchers have developed the world's first golden-orange fleshed bananas rich in Vitamin A.
The development of the biofortified fruit is part of a 'significant humanitarian project' by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) aimed at improving the nutritional content of the banana in Uganda.
The fruit is a major food staple in Uganda, says the QUT's project lead and Distinguished Professor James Dale.Â
A researcher holds the biofortified banana rich in Vitamin A (top) next to a normal bananaÂ
Australian researchers have developed the world's first golden-orange fleshed bananas rich in Vitamin A
It's hoped the newly developed banana - funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - will save the lives of thousands of Ugandan children
'Human trial is a significant milestone for this project which started in 2005 and should see pro-vitamin A-enriched banana varieties being grown by Ugandan farmers around 2020,' Professor James Dale said.
'The Highland or East African cooking banana, which is chopped and steamed, is a staple food of many East African nations but it has low levels of micronutrients particularly pro-vitamin A and iron.
The consequences of vitamin A deficiency are severe in Uganda.
The development of the biofortified fruit is part of a 'significant humanitarian project' aimed at improving the nutritional content of the banana in Uganda
The fruit is a major food staple in Uganda, where many suffer from vitamin A deficiencyÂ
An estimated 650,000-700,000 children to die as a result each year and a further several hundred thousand go blind.
'There is very good evidence that vitamin A deficiency leads to an impaired immune system and can even have an impact on brain development,' Professor Dale said.
The bananas were harvested from the QUT field trial in Innisfail, north Queensland and transported to the US for the world-first human trial.Â
It will last for six weeks with conclusive results known by the end of the year. Â
It's hoped the newly developed banana - backed with close to $10 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - will save the lives of thousands of Ugandan children.
An estimated 650,000-700,000 children to die as a result each year and a further several hundred thousand go blind
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