Quality Protein Maize facts for kids

Quality protein maize (QPM) is a special type of maize, also known as corn. It's different because its grains have almost twice as much lysine and tryptophan. These are two important building blocks, called amino acids, that our bodies and some animals need to grow and stay healthy. Regular corn doesn't have enough of them.

QPM was created using traditional plant breeding methods. This means it's not genetically modified. It's an example of biofortification, which is making crops more nutritious.

Scientists Surinder Vasal and Evangelina Villegas developed QPM. They worked at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in the late 1990s. Because of their amazing work, they won the 2000 World Food Prize.

Why We Need Quality Protein Maize

Many people in places like Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia eat a lot of corn every day. They also use it to feed their babies and farm animals. But regular corn has a couple of problems.

First, it doesn't have all the amino acids needed to make complete proteins. Specifically, it's low in lysine and tryptophan. Second, the niacin (vitamin B₃) in regular corn is hard for the body to use.

Long ago, the Mayans and Aztecs would boil corn in limewater. This process, called nixtamalization, made the niacin available. But this method wasn't used much in other parts of the world. This led to a disease called Pellagra in many places.

Also, eating only regular corn can lead to a condition called "wet-malnutrition." This means someone gets enough calories but not enough protein. A serious lack of protein can cause a disease called kwashiorkor.

So, regular corn isn't a great food on its own. Most people in developing countries can't afford to eat many different foods. This is where QPM helps a lot.

QPM has 70–100% more lysine and tryptophan than regular corn. These extra amino acids help the body make all the proteins it needs. This can prevent "wet-malnutrition." Also, the body can turn tryptophan into niacin, which might help reduce Pellagra.

How Quality Protein Maize Was Developed

Scientists have been trying to improve corn's protein since the 1920s. In 1963, a type called "opaque-2" was created. It had more lysine and tryptophan. However, it didn't grow as much corn, and its kernels were soft and chalky. This made them easily damaged by rot and insects. People also didn't like the taste or look of these kernels. So, these early high-protein varieties weren't popular.

The Vasal-Villegas Team's Breakthrough

Surinder Vasal and Evangelina Villegas started working together in Mexico in the early 1970s. They both worked at CIMMYT. Dr. Villegas led the lab that studied protein quality. Dr. Vasal was a plant breeder whose job was to create QPM varieties that people would actually want to eat.

Drs. Vasal and Villegas combined their skills in chemistry and plant breeding. They mixed the opaque-2 corn with other special genes. Through the 1970s, they created and tested many different corn types. They sometimes checked up to 25,000 samples a year!

By the mid-1980s, they had a new QPM type. It had hard kernels and tasted good, just like regular corn. But it still had much higher levels of lysine and tryptophan.

For a while, their discovery wasn't widely used. Some experts thought protein could be added to diets in other ways. But in the early 1990s, CIMMYT got support to start promoting QPM. They began in Ghana and other African countries. Since then, QPM has also shown great results in China, Mexico, and parts of Central America.

The Genetics Behind QPM

The "opaque-2" change in corn reduces how much of certain proteins (called zein) are made. These zein proteins are low in lysine. Because there's less zein, other proteins that are rich in lysine become more common. The original opaque-2 corn had a soft texture because of this. So, more work was needed to create the "hard endosperm o.2" that became QPM.

The Impact of Quality Protein Maize

Babies and adults who eat QPM are healthier. They are less likely to suffer from malnutrition problems like marasmus and kwashiorkor. Studies from Latin America and Africa show that QPM can help people who are already malnourished get better.

QPM has about 90% of the nutritional value of skim milk. Skim milk is often used as a standard for good nutrition. The UNICEF organization reported that many infants and small children were starving each month. Adding QPM to their daily food can improve health and save lives.

Also, pigs fed QPM grow faster. They are ready for market sooner, which helps farmers. Or, they can provide an extra source of good protein for small farm families.

Different types of QPM have been created for various climates and growing conditions. QPM is now grown on about 9 million acres (36,000 km²) around the world. Research and development for QPM have spread from Mexico to many parts of Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

In Guizhou, a poorer province in China, QPM corn grows 10% better than other types. This has helped new pig farms start up, giving people more food and money. Overall, QPM has added over US$1 billion each year to the economies of developing countries.

In India, a special center in Udaipur, Rajasthan, was set up to help use QPM more. This center has created many food products using QPM flour. These include biscuits, cakes, muffins, and pasta.