title: Iron absorption from fish sauce and soy sauce fortified with sodium iron EDTA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fish sauce and soy sauce have been suggested as food vehicles for iron fortification in Asia. NaFeEDTA is a potentially useful fortificant because it can be added to these condiments without causing precipitation during storage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were to evaluate iron absorption from NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce and soy sauce against a reference fortificant (FeSO(4)), to compare iron absorption from NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce and soy sauce, and to evaluate the influence of fish sauce and soy sauce per se on iron absorption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five separate iron-absorption studies were made in adult women (10 women per study). Iron absorption was measured on the basis of erythrocyte incorporation of (57)Fe or (58)Fe 14 d after the intake of labeled meals of rice or rice and vegetables. Fish sauce or soy sauce (10 g) fortified with 5 mg Fe as NaFeEDTA or FeSO(4) was fed with selected meals. The results are presented as geometric means.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Iron absorption from NaFeEDTA- and FeSO(4)-fortified fish sauce (3.3% and 3.1%, respectively) and soy sauce (6.1% and 5.6%, respectively) was not significantly different. No significant difference was observed when NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce and soy sauce were compared directly (6.7% and 7.9%, respectively). Soy sauce inhibited iron absorption from rice-based meals (8.5% without and 6.0% with soy sauce; P < 0.02), whereas fish sauce did not affect iron absorption significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relatively high iron absorption from NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce and soy sauce and the acceptable organoleptic properties of NaFeEDTA indicate the potential usefulness of this iron fortificant in fish sauce and soy sauce fortification programs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Human Nutrition, Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Meredith C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fidler
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidsson
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walczyk
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hurrell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D001682:Biological Availability; D003676:Deferoxamine; D004032:Diet; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007503:Iron Isotopes; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010833:Phytic Acid; D013025:Glycine max
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005395:Fish Oils; D007503:Iron Isotopes; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D010833:Phytic Acid; D005293:Ferritins; D004492:Edetic Acid; D003676:Deferoxamine; C019179:Fe(III)-EDTA