*2.6. Folates*

Folates are B9 vitamins and act as cofactors in various metabolic functions such as nucleotide biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism in the human body [68,69], and are therefore required for human growth and development. In plants, folates are important for biosynthesis of biomolecules including lignin, alkaloids, and chlorophyll [70]. Humans are dependent on plant and/or animal-based food sources as they cannot synthesize folates [69,71]. Deficiency of folates has been associated with greater risk of various chronic diseases, such as neural tube defects [72], impaired cognitive function [73], Alzheimer's disease [74], cardiovascular diseases [75], and certain types of cancers [76]. Folate-rich diets are highly recommended during pregnancy as these e ffectively reduce the risk of neural tube defects in newborns [77]. Insu fficient folate intake during pregnancy increases the risk of pre-term delivery and fetal growth retardation [78]. Wallock et al. [79] observed a correlation between seminal plasma folate with blood plasma folate; hence, folates are also important for human reproductive health [80].

### **3. Approaches for Improvement of Nutritional Profile**

Dietary diversification, food supplements, food fortification, and biofortification are di fferent approaches used for improvement of the nutritional profile of crops to tackle micronutrient deficiency.
