title: Zinc absorption in infants fed iron-fortified weaning food.
abstract: The effect of fortification iron (reduced iron) on zinc absorption from a commercial vegetable-based weaning food was assessed in 11 9-mo-old infants. Each infant was fed a test meal of unfortified or iron-fortified product, labeled extrinsically with 1 mg 67Zn or 70Zn (as citrate), and the next day was fed the second product labeled with the other isotope. A complete fecal collection was carried out for 3-4 d, and the amount of unabsorbed isotope measured by thermal-ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry. Apparent zinc absorption (isotope intake minus fecal excretion, expressed as the % of dose administered) was 31.1 +/- 8.3% (x +/- SD) from the iron-fortified food and 28.6%28.6 +/- 10.5% from the unfortified food. These values were not significantly different, thus iron fortification of the weaning food did not reduce zinc absorption.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Research, Norwich Laboratory, Colney, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fairweather-Tait
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Wharf
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014886:Weaning; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015033:Zinc Isotopes
chemical_list: D015033:Zinc Isotopes; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc