Are you aged over 18 years, live within 70 miles of Norwich and think you may be low in vitamin D? You may be eligible to participate in the ViTal-D study.
The ViTaL-D Study is investigating the impact of eating Vitamin D biofortified tomatoes on levels of vitamin D in the blood. The tomatoes have been developed to be high in vitamin D through gene-editing by Professor Cathie Martin and her team at the John Innes Centre.
We are conducting a 21 day study to understand whether biofortifying tomatoes in this way leads to higher levels of active vitamin D in the blood after people have eaten them. The aim of this study is to compare whether the soup made with the higher levels of vitamin D would result in higher levels of active vitamin D in the blood of those who have eaten it, compared with people that have eaten a normal tomato soup.
You are more likely to have Vitamin D deficiency if you have darker skin (e.g. have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background), are over 65, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are obese, or do not get much sun exposure (from covering your skin, or if you are confined indoors for long periods).
You do not need to know your vitamin D levels to express your interest in taking part in the study. We will test your vitamin D levels at a screening appointment to see if you are eligible to take part.
The study will involve:
- Eating a tomato soup which contains either gene-edited tomatoes high in vitamin D or regular tomato soup
- Wearing a UV tracker
- Blood collections at visits
- Questionnaires about your diet, lifestyle, the soup and skin exposure to UV light
Register your interest in the ViTal-D study
For more information:
