title: Ascorbyl palmitate enhances iron bioavailability in iron-fortified bread.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the strategies to control iron deficiency anemia is the fortification of food with iron. A mechanism for improving the bioavailability of iron is to add an iron absorption promoter.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to determine the effect of ascorbyl palmitate (AP) on the bioavailability of iron in fortified bread made from refined wheat flour.
  
  
  METHODS
  The iron bioavailability of wheat flour fortified with either ferrous sulfate alone or ferrous sulfate plus AP was studied with the use of double radio iron (55Fe and 59Fe) erythrocyte incorporation in 14 women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geometric mean (+/- range of 1 SD) iron absorption from the bread fortified with ferrous sulfate was 10.5% (4.1-27.0%). The addition of AP at molar ratios of AP to Fe of 2:1 and 4:1 significantly increased iron absorption [14.6% (5.9-36.1%) and 20.2% (10.6-38.6%), respectively; P < 0.001].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AP is a strong promoter of iron absorption from fortified bread because of its thermoresistant properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology of Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hertrampf
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tapia
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cori
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lopez de Romana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001682:Biological Availability; D001939:Bread; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007504:Iron Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007504:Iron Radioisotopes; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; C031226:6-O-palmitoylascorbic acid