Biofortified Tomato with Enhanced Vitamin A Content for Improving Nutritional Value

Increases Carotenoid Content through Capsanthin/Capsorubin Synthase (CCS)

This biofortification method enhances vitamin A and carotenoid content in tomato plants through capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS), addressing global vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and improving the fruit’s nutritional value. Vitamin A deficiency is a major global health issue, affecting over 800 million people worldwide and leading to severe consequences, including blindness and anemia. Existing solutions to combat VAD, such as supplements and fortified foods, face challenges in cost, stability, and distribution, limiting their reach in vulnerable populations.

Biofortification provides a sustainable solution by enhancing vitamin A content directly in staple foods. Therefore, there is an evident need for a plant-based approach that delivers vitamin A at scale. The global biofortification market is expanding rapidly, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% and an estimated value of USD 249 million by 2030.

Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a biofortified transgenic tomato for enhancing vitamin A and carotenoid content in tomato plants through capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS). By introducing a gene from the pepper, this approach increases levels of β-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and produces additional antioxidant pigments, resulting in a more nutritious tomato variety.

The modified tomato plants—orange in color, instead of red—have a new combination of flavor volatiles and improved fruit yield and quality traits compared to control lines. Eating a small serving of these biofortified tomatoes is enough to meet the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, making them an attractive solution for addressing global vitamin A deficiency and providing a meaningful source of this essential nutrient in the diet.

Application

Biofortified tomato plants with enhanced vitamin A and carotenoid levels, combating VAD in global health programs

Advantages

• Provides nutritionally enhanced tomato fruit, delivering a healthy and safe food source for addressing global vitamin A deficiency
• Achieves high provitamin A levels, enabling sufficient vitamin A intake from small serving sizes (37–131 g)
• Introduces capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS), producing ketocarotenoids with strong antioxidant and health-promoting properties
• Increases content of antioxidants including vitamin C, producing fruit with high nutritional value
• Demonstrates effectiveness across multiple tomato varieties and hybrids, supporting scalability and breeding integration
• Improves fruit yield, fruit flavors, and keeping quality

Technology

This biofortification method enhanced vitamin A and carotenoid content in tomato plants through capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS). Additionally, improved volatile composition and fruit yield and quality were observed. By redirecting carotenoid metabolism, this modification boosts β-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, introduces ketocarotenoids (capsanthin and capsorubin) with antioxidant benefits, and promotes xanthophyll ester formation for improved pigment stability. The trait has been demonstrated across multiple tomato varieties and hybrids, showing strong potential for scalable application in nutrition-focused agriculture and global vitamin A improvement.

The improved tomato fruit is a valuable addition to the fresh market tomato production. The fruit can be used for processing to derive value-added products such as dried tomatoes, tomato paste, sauces, and frozen vegetables. It can also be used to prepare specialty products for human consumption and for animal feeds. This technology has the potential for applications in other fruit crops.