Biofortified Millet Improves Toddler Gut Health

A randomized trial led by Cornell University's Joan Klein Jacobs Center for Precision Nutrition and Health found that toddlers who consumed iron- and zinc-biofortified pearl millet for nine months developed gut microbiomes with potentially beneficial changes, without the adverse effects typically associated with iron supplements. The study, published in Tata Communications, enrolled 223 children aged 12-18 months in Mumbai, India. Half received foods made with biofortified millet containing 8.7 mg iron per 100g, while the other half ate standard millet with 3 mg. Children in the biofortified group showed increased activity in microbial pathways associated with pathogen defense and antioxidant metabolism, and lower markers of harmful bacteria. The millet was developed through traditional cross-breeding, and the study is one of the first to examine biofortified crops' effects on the gut microbiome. The approach could offer a sustainable alternative to iron supplements, which can disrupt gut health. The study was funded by the USDA, HarvestPlus, and the Gates Foundation, among others.