Do thickening properties of locust bean gum affect the amount of calcium, iron and zinc available for absorption from infant formula? In vitro studies.

Locust bean gum acts as a milk thickener in infant formula because of its high apparent viscosity. The effects of such thickening agents on metabolic and physiologic responses during infancy have not been clarified sufficiently. Due to the increased volume of the digest and the bulking and trapping effects, digestion and absorption of nutrients may be influenced in presence of locust bean gum.

Availabilities of calcium, iron, and zinc from dairy infant formulas is affected by soluble dietary fibers and modified starch fractions.

Objective: Insoluble dietary fiber is a known inhibitor of mineral absorption, whereas the effects of soluble dietary fibers (including prebiotics) are less known. The aim was to study calcium, iron, and zinc availabilities from dairy infant formulas supplemented with soluble dietary fibers and modified starches in vitro.

Methods: Dairy infant formulas were supplemented with soluble dietary fibers (3%, dry wt) and modified starches (16% pregelatinized rice starch and 1.

Binding of mineral elements to locust bean gum influences availability in vitro.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the extent to which element binding of locust bean gum (LBG) affects the availability of calcium, iron, and zinc in the gut. Infant formula was supplemented with increasing amounts of LBG and subjected to an intraluminal digestion procedure. Element binding was measured by eliminating the complexes by twofold centrifugation.