The majority of Swiss people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency at least some of the time. This is according to the University Hospital Zurich on its website. The Federal Commission on Nutrition (FCN) also assumes that there is a «widespread vitamin D deficiency» in Switzerland. This deficiency is particularly acute in the winter months. The reason is simple. Vitamin D is produced by the body itself. However, the skin must be in contact with sunlight to produce it.

No vitamin D without sunlight

Vitamin D is important for the formation of bones. It supports the absorption of calcium and phosphate. According to the University Hospital Zurich, it is also involved in metabolic processes and the formation of muscles. Strictly speaking, vitamin D is not really a vitamin at all, but a type of hormone, because the body can produce it itself. «Vitamin D is produced in the body in a complicated process involving the skin, liver and kidneys. This process starts when sunlight hits the surface of the skin - more precisely, the UVB radiation contained in the light.»

Avoiding bone fractures in old age

A vitamin D deficiency entails health risks. Osteoporosis is a major issue in old age. «Vitamin D deficiency was found in 80 per cent of patients with a broken hip», writes the university hospital. A vitamin D deficiency can also lead to chronic kidney disease. Rickets in children is another clinical picture.

Combating malnutrition with healthy foods

Bayer quotes JD Rossouw, Head of Fruit and Vegetable Research at Bayer's Crop Science Division: ‘We are focused on our mission of «Health for All, Hunger for None» and are proud to use cutting-edge technology to tackle a widespread nutritional problem and promote healthy eating. In our collaboration with G+FLAS, we are using their genome editing technology and combining it with Bayer's genetic material and expertise.» Consumers not only want food that tastes good, they also want it to be healthy. Breeding new vegetables is therefore also about addressing nutrient deficiencies. These are real innovations. And they are urgently needed, because many people around the world suffer from malnutrition.

Genome-edited leafy vegetables: higher nutritional value and better flavour

Genome-edited leafy vegetables from the agricultural technology start-up Pairwise are already available on the North American market. Bayer has concluded a licence agreement with the company. The breeding is a mixture of colourful leafy vegetables with a higher nutritional value than lettuce and a unique, fresh taste, which was achieved through the use of genome editing.

Bayer writes: «This agreement and its focus on genome-edited products is an important part of our open innovation approach. We look forward to working with Pairwise on their innovative leafy greens. It is a new flavourful and nutritious alternative. The latest agreement creates added value that goes beyond the mere sale of a product. It also includes rights to the future use of the knowledge, intellectual property and technology.» The licence includes marketing rights for the varieties developed by Pairwise as well as rights to develop new varieties. This is a type of cooperation that we often see in knowledge-based industries such as pharmaceuticals and food technologies: Start-ups innovate, but need financially strong, large corporations as partners for (global) registration and commercialisation, because the higher the regulatory hurdles, the more expensive the market launch.