Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants, and the Spanish National Research Council have discovered a way to increase beta-carotene levels in leaves up to 30-fold using biotechnological methods and high-intensity light treatment. Beta-carotene is a naturally occurring pigment with health benefits and is a precursor to vitamin A. The research was conducted on tobacco and lettuce plants and shows that beta-carotene can be stored in places where it is not normally detected, making it more bioavailable and potentially leading to the biofortification of vegetables without affecting their smell and taste.