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

This post first appeared on NPR.

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 nutritious and not enough on nutrient-packed fruits, vegetables and animal products.

Especially for children and pregnant women, hidden hunger can have severe, long-lasting health effects, including birth defects, decreased brain function, a compromised immune system and chronic fatigue. But in many low- and middle-income countries, high-nutrient foods — not to mention workarounds like vitamin supplement pills — are often scarce and expensive.

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