Impact of fortification of flours with iron to reduce the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency among schoolchildren in Caracas, Venezuela: a follow-up.

In Venezuela, a severe economic crisis starting in 1983 provoked a progressive reduction in the quantity and quality of food consumed by people from the low socioeconomic strata of the population. This situation resulted in a continuous increase in the prevalence of iron deficiency in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1993, an iron-fortification program was started, in which precooked corn and white wheat flours were enriched with iron, vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin.

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) does not increase iron uptake or ferritin synthesis by Caco-2 cells.

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (NaFe-EDTA) is a chelator capable of binding a wide variety of metals, with a high affinity constant for Fe(3+). NaFe-EDTA has been extensively studied and validated as an excellent choice for iron fortification programs and extensive research has demonstrated its high bioavailability specially for cereal based foods. To further evaluate the usefulness of this compound we performed iron uptake experiments with EDTA using the Caco-2 cell system.

The effect of change in pH on the solubility of iron bis-glycinate chelate and other iron compounds.

The effect of a pH change from 2 to 6 was tested on the solubility of ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, iron bis-glycine chelate (Ferrochel) and sodium-iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (NaFeEDTA). It was found that at pH 2 ferrous sulfate, Ferrochel and NaFeEDTA were completely soluble and only 75% of iron from ferrous fumarate was soluble. When pH was raised to 6, iron from amino acid chelate and NaFeEDTA remained completely soluble while solubility from ferrous sulfate and ferrous fumarate decreased 64 and 74%, respectively compared to the amount of iron initially soluble at pH 2.

New property of vitamin A and beta-carotene on human iron absorption: effect on phytate and polyphenols as inhibitors of iron absorption.

One hundred and seventy four human subjects were studied to find out the interaction of vitamin A or beta-carotene with the inhibitors of iron absorption, from a basal breakfast containing bread from either 100 g of precooked corn flour or 100 g of white wheat flour, 50 g of cheese and 10 g of margarine. Bread was labeled with either 55Fe or 59Fe. This bread was made from commercially flours fortified with iron as ferrous fumarate and vitamins.