Micronutrient bioavailability research priorities

A micronutrient bioavailability workshop, which involved international experts and members of the scientific community and the food industry, with interactive breakout sessions based on synectics principles, was organized by the International Life Sciences Institute Europe Addition of Nutrients to Food Task Force and the European Commission Network of Excellence European Micronutrient Recommendations Aligned. After presentations by experts, a series of "challenge statements" was discussed. The aim was to address topical issues, in particular those that linked bioavailability with the derivation of micronutrient requirements and dietary recommendations, to identify gaps in knowledge and to consider research priorities. Several generic research priorities were identified, including improving the quality of dietary surveys/food composition tables, the need for more metabolic studies that use stable isotopes and high-quality longer-term interventions, and the development of multifactorial mathematical models. Among the common recurrent factors identified as important were polymorphisms/genotype, consideration of the whole diet, chemical form of the micronutrient, and the determination of physiologic requirements. The involvement of all participants in the structured discussions ensured a broad overview of current knowledge, state-of-the-art research, and consideration of priorities for future research.