title: Effect of dephytinization on bioavailability of iron, calcium and zinc from infant cereals assessed in the Caco-2 cell model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the effect of the dephytinization of three different commercial infant cereals on iron, calcium, and zinc bioavailability by estimating the uptake, retention, and transport by Caco-2 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both dephytinized (by adding an exogenous phytase) and non-dephytinized infant cereals were digested using an in vitro digestion protocol adapted to the gastrointestinal conditions of infants younger than 6 mo. Mineral cell retention, transport, and uptake from infant cereals were measured using the soluble fraction of the simulated digestion and the Caco-2 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dephytinization of infant cereals significantly increased (P < 0.05) the cell uptake efficiency (from 0.66%-6.05% to 3.93%-13%), retention (from 6.04%-16.68% to 14.75%-20.14%) and transport efficiency (from 0.14%-2.21% to 1.47%-6.02%), of iron, and the uptake efficiency (from 5.0%-35.4% to 7.3%-41.6%) and retention (from 4.05%-20.53% to 14.45%-61.3%) of zinc, whereas calcium only cell uptake showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) after removing phytate from most of the samples analyzed. A positive relationship (P < 0.05) between mineral solubility and the cell uptake and transport efficiencies was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removing phytate from infant cereals had a beneficial effect on iron and zinc bioavailability when infant cereals were reconstituted with water. Since in developing countries cereal-based complementary foods for infants are usually consumed mixed with water, exogenous phytase additions could improve the nutritional value of this weaning food.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Food Science and Technology, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain. carmenfr@um.es
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frontela
authors.forename: Maria-Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Scarino
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferruzza
authors.forename: Gaspar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ros
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007295:Inositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D007295:Inositol Phosphates; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D010833:Phytic Acid; D015032:Zinc