In the UK, vitamin D deficiency occurs frequently especially during the winter months. Vitamin D biofortified tomatoes have been developed using precision breeding technique by researchers at John Innes Centre. Biofortification uses crop breeding to increase the nutritional value of crops. The goal of the ViTaL-D study is to examine whether the vitamin D biofortified tomatoes when eaten as a soup can increase blood levels of vitamin D in men and women with vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, researchers will learn if the tomato soups are feasible and safe to eat everyday. The main questions the study aims to answer are:
* Does vitamin D biofortified tomatoes increase vitamin D levels in men and women with low blood levels of vitamin D?
* Is consuming vitamin D biofortified tomatoes safe and easy to eat everyday as a soup?
Researchers will compare how four types of tomato soup increase blood vitamin D levels. The four types of soup are:
* Soup with vitamin D biofortified tomatoes
* Soup with provitamin D biofortified tomatoes
* Soup with store-bought tomatoes not containing vitamin D
* Soup with store-bought tomatoes with added vitamin D
Participants will:
* Eat one of the four types of tomato soup every day for 21 days.
* Visit the clinic once every 7 days after a 12 hour fast for body measurements, tests, and surveys.
* Keep a daily diary when soups are eaten and when time is spent outside.