Absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize.
BACKGROUND
Calcium fortification of maize has been achieved for millennia in Central America by the process of nixtamalization. Bioavailability of calcium is, however, compromised by phytate, which is present in large quantities in maize kernels and is only modestly reduced by nixtamalization.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to compare the absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize with that from meals prepared from maize with typical phytate content.


METHODS
At 1-mo intervals, 5 healthy adult women were fed 2 test meals of approximately 140 g tortillas in lieu of breakfast. On one occasion, the tortillas were prepared from maize with approximately 60% phytate reduction, and, on the other occasion, they were prepared from the matching isohybrid wild-type maize. Beginning midway through the test meal, (44)Ca (0.3 mg/kg body wt) was administered in water as an extrinsic label; (42)Ca (0.06 mg/kg body wt) was administered intravenously immediately after the test meal. Isotope ratios of (42)Ca to (43)Ca and of (44)Ca to (43)Ca were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in urine collected as an 8-h pool from the period 16-24 h after intravenous tracer administration and prepared by the oxalate precipitation method. Fractional absorption of calcium was determined by using a dual-isotope ratio technique.


RESULTS
Mean fractional absorption of calcium from tortillas prepared from the low-phytate maize (0.50 +/- 0.03) was significantly (P = 0.003) greater than that from tortillas prepared from the control maize (0.35 +/- 0.07).


CONCLUSIONS
The increase in the quantity of calcium absorbed could be of practical importance for calcium nutriture when the intake of dairy products is limited.
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA. michael.hambidge@uchsc.edu
K Michael
KM
Hambidge
Nancy F
NF
Krebs
Jamie L
JL
Westcott
Lei
L
Sian
Leland V
LV
Miller
Kevin L
KL
Peterson
Victor
V
Raboy
D000328:Adult; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000145:classification*
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D010833:Phytic Acid