SciDev.Net:
Agricultural researchers in Rwanda are using x-ray fluorescence
(XRF) to determine the mineral content of food crops, writes
Aimable Twahirwa for SciDev.Net. In XRF analysis, atoms of a
food sample are excited with high-energy, short-wavelength
radiation to identify various elements such as iron and zinc
and determine their concentration. Of the 15 samples of
bio-fortified beans the Rwandan team analyzed, they found 4 to
be particularly rich in minerals. The main purpose of the
process, which is not only quick but also cheap and
nondestructive, is to identify and promote production of
nutritious staple foods to reduce "hidden
hunger"âmdash;the lack of dietary vitamins and
minerals. In Rwanda, more than half the children under the age
of five and a third of the women are anemic.
