title: Iron bioavailability from iron-fortified Guatemalan meals based on corn tortillas and black bean paste.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Corn masa flour is widely consumed in Central America and is therefore a potentially useful vehicle for iron fortification.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal was to evaluate the bioavailability of iron from meals based on corn tortillas and black bean paste that were fortified with ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate, or NaFeEDTA and to investigate the potential of Na(2)EDTA to increase the bioavailability of iron from ferrous fumarate.
  
  
  METHODS
  With use of a crossover study design, iron bioavailability was measured in Guatemalan girls aged 12-13 y by a stable-isotope technique based on erythrocyte incorporation 14 d after intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geometric mean iron bioavailability from test meals fortified with ferrous fumarate was 5.5-6.2% and was not improved significantly by the addition of Na(2)EDTA at molar ratios of 1:1 relative to fortification iron or to the total iron content of the fortified corn masa flour. Geometric mean iron bioavailability from test meals fortified with ferrous sulfate was 5.5% and was significantly higher in test meals fortified with NaFeEDTA (9.0%; P = 0.009, paired t test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bioavailability of iron from ferrous fumarate was not improved by the addition of Na(2)EDTA, contrary to what was previously shown for ferrous sulfate in other cereal-based meals. However, the bioavailability of iron from the test meal was significantly enhanced when NaFeEDTA replaced ferrous sulfate. These results support the use of NaFeEDTA in the fortification of inhibitory staple foods such as corn masa flour.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Human Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Rüschlikon, Switzerland. lena.davidsson@ilw.agrl.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidsson
authors.forename: Triantafillia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boy
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walczyk
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hurrell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001682:Biological Availability; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007887:Fabaceae; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005433:Flour; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006166:Guatemala; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011865:Radioisotope Dilution Technique; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D004492:Edetic Acid; C031621:ferrous fumarate