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

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