title: Iron Bioavailability and Provitamin A from Sweet Potato- and Cereal-Based Complementary Foods.
abstract: Iron and vitamin A deficiencies in childhood are public health problems in the developing world. Introduction of cereal-based complementary foods, that are often poor sources of both vitamin A and bioavailable iron, increases the risk of deficiency in young children. Alternative foods with higher levels of vitamin A and bioavailable iron could help alleviate these micronutrient deficiencies. The objective of this study was to compare iron bioavailability of β-carotene-rich sweet potato-based complementary foods (orange-flesh based sweet potato (OFSP) ComFa and cream-flesh sweet potato based (CFSP) ComFa with a household cereal-based complementary food (Weanimix) and a commercial cereal (Cerelac®), using thein vitrodigestion/Caco-2 cell model. Iron bioavailability relative to total iron, concentrations of iron-uptake inhibitors (fibre, phytates, and polyphenols), and enhancers (ascorbic acid, ß-carotene and fructose) was also evaluated. All foods contained similar amounts of iron, but bioavailability varied: Cerelac®had the highest, followed by OFSP ComFa and Weanimix, which had equivalent bioavailable iron; CFSP ComFa had the lowest bioavailability. The high iron bioavailability from Cerelac®was associated with the highest levels of ascorbic acid, and the lowest levels of inhibitors; polyphenols appeared to limit sweet potato-based food iron bioavailability. Taken together, the results do not support that CFSP- and OFSP ComFa are better sources of bioavailable iron compared with non-commercial/household cereal-based weaning foods; however, they may be a good source of provitamin A in the form of β-carotene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life & Sports Sciences, Faculty of Engineering & Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK. T.Christides@gre.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christides
authors.affiliation: Food Processing Technology Unit, Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, Ghana. fkamagloh@uds.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Francis Kweku
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Amagloh
authors.affiliation: School of Food and Nutrition, Massey Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Health, Te Kura Hauora Tangata, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. j.coad@massey.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coad
keywords: Caco-2 cell; bioavailability; complementary food; iron; polyphenols; sweet potato; vitamin A; β-carotene