Nutritional and technological behavior of stabilized iron-gluconate in wheat flour.

Food fortification has been shown to be an effective strategy to overcome iron malnutrition. When a new iron compound is developed for this purpose, it must be evaluated from a nutritional and technological point of view before adding it into foods. In this way, we have evaluated ferrous gluconate stabilized by glycine as a new iron source to be used in wheat flour fortification.

Zinc deficiency and growth: current concepts in relationship to two important points: intellectual and sexual development.

Zinc deficiency remains a serious health problem worldwide affecting developed as well as developing countries. Despite the evidence proving that zinc deprivation during the periods of rapid growth negatively affects the cognitive brain as well as sexual development, there are few complete studies carried out in children. The present article proposes a revision of the evidence gathered until now on the relationship existing between zinc deficiency and intellectual and sexual development during the stages of childhood, preadolescence, and adolescence.

[Iron metabolism: current concepts of an essential micronutrient].

Iron is an essential micronutrient involved in multiple biochemical and physiological process. In this review we discuss the most relevant aspect of its metabolism in order to reach a better comprehension of the relevant roll that this micronutrient plays in human health.

Stabilized ferrous gluconate as iron source for food fortification: bioavailability and toxicity studies in rats.

The iron bioavailability and acute oral toxicity in rats of a ferrous gluconate compound stabilized with glycine (SFG), designed for food fortification, was studied in this work by means of the prophylactic method and the Wilcoxon method, respectively. For the former studies, SFG was homogeneously added to a basal diet of low iron content, reaching a final iron concentration of 20.1 +/- 2.

Current knowledge of iron metabolism.

Iron plays many roles in human physiology. In this article, we summarize the basic and current knowledge of this essential micronutrient on human metabolism.

Bioavailability of Petit-Suisse cheese as food vehicle for iron fortification estimated by the prophylactic method.

Microencapsulated ferrous sulfate (SFE-171) and ferric orthophosphate in Petit-Suisse cheese were examined for iron bioavailability by the prophylactic method. The iron sources were industrially added to different samples of Petit-Suisse cheese, which were mixed with other food components in our laboratory before use. A reference standard diet inclusive of nonmicroencapsulated ferrous sulfate and a control diet low in iron content were prepared in the laboratory.

Zinc and iron interactions evaluated between different mineral sources in different nutritional matrixes.

We compared the absorption of BioZn, SFE-171, SO4Fe (reference standard) and SO4Zn (reference standard) alone or in combination in water and in an infant dessert. When mineral interactions were evaluated, zinc and iron were administered in a 1:1 molar relation. There 160 rats divided in 16 groups of 10 animals each which received: SO(4)65Zn, Bio65Zn, SO(4)65Zn + SO4Fe, Bio65Zn + SFE-171, SO(4)59Fe, 59SFE-171, SO(4)59Fe + SO4Zn and 59SFE-171 + BioZn either in water or an infant dessert.

The role of zinc in the growth and development of children.

This review concerns the importance of zinc in growth, development, and cognitive function in children and the deleterious consequences of its deficiency on children's health. Possible strategies to overcome zinc deficiency and the results of some supplementation trials are discussed.

Bioavailability of microencapsulated ferrous sulfate in powdered milk produced from fortified fluid milk: a prophylactic study in rats.

Objective: We investigated the iron bioavailability of microencapsulated ferrous sulfate (SFE-171) in a diet based on powdered milk by using the prophylactic method in rats.

Methods: The SFE-171 was added into fluid milk and industrially processed into powdered milk, which was then mixed in our laboratory with a normalized diet (17.2 +/- 2.

Fortification strategies to combat zinc and iron deficiency.

Food fortification is an important strategy to combat iron and zinc deficiency. This review covers the basic concepts of food fortification, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. The main characteristics of the most common zinc and iron compounds used in this procedure are also analyzed.

Bioavailability study of dried microencapsulated ferrous sulfate--SFE 171--by means of the prophylactic-preventive method.

Microencapsulated ferrous sulfate with soy lecithin (SFE-171) has been used as an iron source for the fortification of milk and dairy products. With the purpose to extend the use of this agent to other kind of foods or even to pharmaceutical preparations for oral administration, the SFE-171 was turned into a fluid powder (SFE-171-P) by means of vacuum drying. The iron bioavailability (BioFe) of SFE-171-P was evaluated in this work by means of the prophylactic-preventive method in rats, using ferrous sulfate as reference standard.

Bioavailability studies of a new iron source by means of the prophylactic-preventive method in rats.

The bioavailability of iron from a new commercial source containing ferric gluconate stabilized with glycine sold under the trade name Bioferrico was studied in this work by means of the prophylactic-preventive test in rats. NaFeEDTA was also studied by the same methodology for comparative purposes and ferrous sulfate was used as the reference standard. The test was conducted for 4 wk with male weaned rats, which were randomized into four groups of at least eight animals each.

Zinc and diabetes mellitus: is there a need of zinc supplementation in diabetes mellitus patients?

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders, the incidence of which varies widely throughout the world. The treatment of diabetes mellitus includes insulin, oral antidiabetic agents, and dietary regimens. Although the emphasis is on macronutrients intakes, there is strong evidence that there is an abnormal metabolism of several micronutrients in diabetic individuals.

Chronic stress influences the immune system through the thyroid axis.

The aim of the present work was to analyze the effect of chronic stress on thyroid axis and its influence on the immune response. For this purpose a murine model of chronic stress was developed to evaluate and to correlate thyroid hormone levels with humoral alloimmune response. Results show a reduction in serum levels of thyroid hormones, specially a significant decrease in serum levels of triiodotyronine (T3) in stressed animals.

Zinc status and immune system relationship: a review.

The essentiality of zinc for humans was first documented by Prasad in the 1960s. The main clinical manifestations associated with zinc deficiency are growth retardation, hypogonadism, diarrhea, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Thus, in the past 25 yr, there was an increased interest of researchers in studying the role of zinc in human immunity.

Bioavailability, biodistribution, and toxicity of BioZn-AAS(1): a new zinc source. comparative studies in rats.

Food fortification with a proper zinc compound is an economic and effective strategy to prevent zinc deficiency. BioZn-AAS, a zinc gluconate stabilized with glycine, was compared with zinc sulfate (reference standard), zinc hydroxide, and zinc gluconate, all of them labeled with (65)Zn. This preclinical study was performed on Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes, and the administered dose was 85 microg/kg of zinc.

Study of industrial microencapsulated ferrous sulfate by means of the prophylactic-preventive method to determine its bioavailability.

Radio-iron tests are frequently used to measure the bioavailability of different iron sources for food fortification. As the labeling procedures must be done under laboratory conditions, complementary studies should be carried out to evaluate the bioavailability of iron sources produced on an industrial scale. The iron bioavailability of SFE-171 (ferrous sulfate microencapsulated with phospholipids) was studied in previous reports using the compounds labeled with 59Fe and 55Fe; the results showed an iron bioavailability similar to that of ferrous sulfate.

[Zinc: concepts on an essential micronutrient].

It is now well known that zinc is an essential micronutrient. Even though much information is available, there are many points that remain to be studied. zinc is absorbed by the intestine and transported in the plasma by albumin, forming a small exchangeable pool, which is rapidly exhausted even in cases of mild deficiency.

Experimental evidence pointing to the bidirectional interaction between the immune system and the thyroid axis.

Among the many examples of neuroendocrine-immune system interactions the relationship between the thyroid axis and the immune function has yet to be clearly established. Here we studied the influence of thyroid hormones on the course of an alloimmune response. Murine T(3) and T(4) levels were found to be increased a few days after the immunization of mice with allogeneic lymphoid cells.

99mTc-ENS: a new radiopharmaceutical for aerosol lung scintigraphy. Comparison between different freeze-dried formulations.

Unlabelled: Exogenous natural surfactant (ENS) labeled with 99mTc(99mTc-ENS) is a new radiopharmaceutical for pulmonary aerosol scintigraphy. In this study, different freeze-dried formulations were evaluated to develop a suitable and long-storage method for the ENS, the nonradioactive precursor of this radiopharmaceutical.

Methods: Two freeze-dried formulations were evaluated: the sterile ENS suspension-stannous chloride altogether lyophilized (chlorlioENS) and the lyophilized sterile ENS suspension with the addition of stannous chloride as a solid drug (lioENS).

[The pulmonary surfactant system: physiology, pathologies associated with its alteration and exogenous administration as therapeutic and diagnostic agent].

Pulmonary surfactant is a lipoproteic mixture synthesized and secreted by alveolar type II cells. Its principal property is to reduce the surface tension by lining on the alveolar surface. Surfactant deficiency is the major factor responsible for the respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn (RDS) and the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Modification of the ferrozine technique to analyze iron contents in different foods: comparative study using an internal standard as reference methodology.

A methodology for the determination of iron in foods fortified with this element or in nutritional products is important and has to be sensitive and rapid. In developing countries, an inexpensive and reliable methodology is also required. For this purpose, the Gordon's Ferrozine technique was slightly modified and assayed with yogurt, dry powdered milk, and cereal mixtures, all of them fortified with iron, using an internal standard as the reference methodology.

Microencapsulated ferrous sulfate to fortify cow milk: absorption and distribution in mice.

To determine the absorption and biodistribution of iron from microencapsulated ferrous sulfate (SFE-171), used to fortify dairy products with iron, a comparative study in four groups of 30 mice each was carried out. In two of the groups, the absorption of iron from ferrous ascorbate in water (13.3 +/- 4.

Bioavailability, absorption mechanism, and toxicity of microencapsulated iron (I) sulfate: studies in mice.

The iron compounds used for food fortification have to meet certain requisites related to their bioavailability, absorption mechanism, and toxicity, since they will be consumed by a massive population group. With these purposes, we evaluated a new product used for the iron fortification of milk and lacteous derivatives, called SFE-171, which is a ferrous sulfate, microencapsulated with phospholipids. The bioavailability studies were carried out using four groups of 30 female mice each.