Zinc Sulfate Hydrate

When the seeds of plants such as pea and sunflower are biofortified with zinc, the seedlings they quickly produce -- harvested as microgreens -- could both help to mitigate global malnutrition and boost the odds of people surviving a catastrophe. When the seeds of plants such as pea and sunflower are biofortified with zinc, the seedlings they quickly produce -- harvested as microgreens -- could both help to mitigate global malnutrition and boost the odds of people surviving a catastrophe. That's the conclusion of a Penn State research team that experimented with several biofortification methods to determine the most effective way to incorporate a mineral essential to human health into the young plants while not diminishing the amounts of other essential nutrients they produce. Microgreens biofortified with zinc offer people a lifeline in the face of starvation risk, according to team leader Francesco Di Gioia, assistant professor of vegetable crop science. "This study has demonstrated that zinc biofortification through seed nutri-priming achieves needed levels of zinc in the young pea and sunflower plants we focused our experiments on," he said. "These results have implications for both global 'hidden hunger' and emergency or catastrophe preparedness." The work is another development in the ongoing project "Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events," funded by the nonprofit foundation Open Philanthropy. In Di Gioia's work, an international team of researchers found that microgreens can be grown in a variety of soilless production systems in small spaces indoors, with or without artificial lighting. The zinc biofortification component is an important new innovation. Biofortification is the process of growing crops to increase nutritional value from the seed on, Di Gioia explained. It is different from food fortification, which involves adding nutrients to foods during post-harvest processing. In poor regions of the world, or under post-catastrophic conditions, simply soaking seeds in a zinc solution is a practical and effective strategy for producing nutrient-dense microgreens, he pointed out. "Starting decades ago as fashionable, high-value gourmet greens, microgreens today have gained popularity among consumers for their nutritional pro high content of antioxidant compounds," he said. "Our work shows microgreens can help people to survive a global catastrophe such as all-out nuclear war, a large asteroid strike or supervolcano eruption in the short term, but additional nutritional resources may be needed in the longer term." Such a cataclysmic event would endanger agricultural productivity by reducing sunlight and temperature, disrupting rainfall patterns, and contaminating water supplies, thus threatening starvation for survivors of the initial event. Early on, biofortified microgreen production could improve the probability of human survival under these conditions. The prospect of also being able to expeditiously mitigate hidden hunger excites Pradip Poudel, the second-year doctoral degree student in the College of Agricultural Sciences who spearheaded the research. He suggested that production of nutrient-dense crops using agronomic biofortification techniques is a sustainable strategy that is badly needed to address malnutrition. The World Health Organization defines "hidden hunger" as a lack of vitamins and minerals that occurs when the quality of food people eat does not meet the nutrient requirements they need for their growth and development, Poudel noted. Two billion people suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies, according to the WHO. "We were thinking, how can we increase the content of zinc in microgreens, developing a very simple way that people could use at home in a 'microgreens growing kit' that could be delivered in an emergency situation," he said. "And we know it will be important to include a fertilizer source for zinc so people will just have to soak the seeds before putting them in germination -- a very simple process that anyone can do to enrich their microgreens with zinc." In findings recently published in Frontiers in Plant Science, the researchers reported that zinc sulfate, which is sometimes taken as a dietary supplement to treat a zinc deficiency or to promote wellness, was the most effective zinc source. Seeds soaked in a 200 parts per million solution of zinc sulphate resulted in higher zinc accumulation in both peas (126%) and sunflower microgreens (230%). Researchers examined the effect of different zinc sources and soaking concentrations on microgreen-yield components such as mineral content; phytochemical constituents such as total chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanin and total phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity; and antinutrient factors such as phytic acid. Seed soaking in zinc sulfate and zinc oxide solutions at higher concentrations reduced phytic acid in both pea and sunflower microgreens -- a positive development -- the researchers pointed out. Because phytic acid is known to be an "anti-nutrient," its lower level suggests the zinc might be more bioaccessible, or nutritionally available, to consumers. While microgreens and sprouts are similar, they are not the same thing, Poudel noted. Both are baby plants; both can be grown indoors; and both can be grown from the same types of seeds. But that is where the similarities end. A sprout is the first stage in a plant's life cycle after the seed germinates. When the baby plant grows beyond its first shoot and root, it transitions to the microgreen stage. Microgreens are essentially the mature plant in miniature, with leaves, stems and roots. They are typically harvested after the stem has grown 3 to 5 inches tall and its first set of leaves appear. "The reason microgreens are so rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants," he added, "is that they all soon would be spread throughout the maturing plants' leaves, flowers and fruit." Joshua Lambert, professor of food science, and Erin Connolly, professor and department head of plant science, contributed to the research. This research was funded by Open Philanthropy through the "Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events" grant and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Summertime comes to a close and families settle into new routines, direct-to-consumer personalized dog food, treat and supplements brand, Tailored® Pet, is helping pet parents simplify the daily wellness routine of the family's furriest member – the dog. Continue Reading Tailored Pet is making it easy to simplify dog's wellness routines through custom nutritional bundles. Tweet this Tailored Pet crafts custom nutrition bundles to help dogs live their best lives. "As moms ourselves, we understand how busy the last couple weeks of summer can be," said Rachel Kracht, Senior Director of Brand Marketing for Tailored Pet. "Between getting kids back to school, the start of fall activities, and general changes in schedules, it can be difficult to keep the family's wellness routines consistent, and often the family pup quickly falls to the bottom of the list." "Now that most families are starting to settle into their new schedules, we're excited to expand our product lines to offer these new veterinarian-approved products specially designed to work together as part of a routine to help dogs live their healthiest, happiest lives," Ms. Kracht continued. "What's more, they can be easily bundled together as part of a subscription box to make setting their routine as simple as possible." Don't Forget Your Supplements Tailored is thrilled to introduce NEW, veterinarian-recommended Daily Skin and Coat Supplement Bites designed to relieve itchy dry skin and hot spots, promote a thick, glossy coat and support immune system health. Tailored's new Skin and Coat Supplements are formulated with ingredients like: Salmon Oil to nourish the coat and paws and prevent flaky skin, Biotin, which promotes strong hair and helps reduce shedding, Vitamin E, which supports the immune system with antioxidants, and Zinc Sulfate, which helps support a healthy immune response. Pet parents can click here to add Tailored Supplements to their pup's routine for $26.00 today. Customers who subscribe to any of Tailored Pet's suite of products also receive a 10 percent ongoing discount. "We're so excited to add Skin and Coat supplements to our comprehensive line of products designed to help pups live full and healthy lives," Ms. Kracht said. "These mobility supplements are great for dogs of all ages, especially those prone to hot spots or dry, itchy skin," Ms. Kracht continued. Dog Days of Summer Deal on Custom Nutrition for your Pup In addition to the supplements mentioned above, the brand also continues to offer personalized food tailored to the nutritional needs of each unique dog. To personalize a recipe just for their pup, pet parents can visit the company's website and take a quick three-minute quiz to determine their dog's recipe. Beginning Tuesday, August 30, new subscribers can use code LABOR60 to receive 60 percent off their first bag of custom food at sign-up, plus a tennis ball for their pup and biodegradable bamboo food scoop. Pet parents can get started at TailoredPet.com to take advantage of this limited-time offer. Tailored's brief questionnaire asks detailed questions about the consumer's dog, ranging from gender and breed size to specific food sensitivities and wellness concerns. Using this information, the brand's canine nutrition experts recommend a personalized recipe tailored to each pet's individual needs, plus other products from Tailored's full line, including soft and chewy treats, dental chews, and freeze-dried raw mixers, to help them live their healthiest, happiest life. Each personalized Tailored recipe also comes with a bamboo food scoop, and the company offsets 100 percent of its carbon emissions from shipping and follows strict food safety procedures and practices, so pet parents can feel confident about safely feeding Tailored to their furry family members, while doing something good for the Earth, too. About Tailored® Pet Tailored® Pet is a direct-to-consumer, personalized pet food, treats and supplements brand dedicated to helping pets live their healthiest, happiest lives by personalizing recipes with the right nutrients for each dog's unique needs. Each Tailored recipe is designed with highest-quality ingredients by pet nutritionists, approved by veterinarians, and shipped directly to the consumer's door at the frequency they choose. What's more, every Tailored blend is safely cooked in the USA, is fairly priced without retail markups, and comes with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. The company is also dedicated to feeding a healthier, happier Earth through several sustainability initiatives, including a recyclable packaging partnership with TerraCycle, carbon-neutral shipping to offset its carbon emissions, and printing materials on recycled paper. To get started personalizing a recipe today, visit TailoredPet.com or to join our affiliate program, visit . SOURCE Tailored Pet