Fortification effects of different iron compounds on refined wheat flour stability

Iron deficiency anemia: a critical review on iron absorption, supplementation and its influence on gut microbiota

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) caused by micronutrient iron deficiency has attracted global attention due to its adverse health effects. The regulation of iron uptake and metabolism is finely controlled by various transporters and hormones in the body. Dietary iron intake and regulation are essential in maintaining human health and iron requirements. The review aims to investigate literature concerning dietary iron intake and systemic regulation. Besides, recent IDA treatment and dietary iron supplementation are discussed. Considering the importance of the gut microbiome, the interaction between bacteria and micronutrient iron in the gut is also a focus of this review. The iron absorption efficiency varies considerably according to iron type and dietary factors. Iron fortification remains the cost-effective strategy, although challenges exist in developing suitable iron fortificants and food vehicles regarding bioavailability and acceptability. Iron deficiency may alter the microbiome structure and promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the gut, affecting immune balance and human health.

Ferrous sulfate microparticles obtained by spray chilling: characterization, stability and in vitro digestion simulation

The use of microencapsulated ferrous-sulfate is among the various options recommended for food fortification, as the protective wall material surrounding the compound can preserve it from undesirable alterations and also protect the food. Microencapsulated iron can be produced using different wall materials and encapsulation methods. Thus, a microparticle was developed through spray chilling, containing ferrous sulfate (FS), as active compound, and a fat mixture as the coating material. The resulting samples analyzed to determine encapsulation efficiency, particle size distribution, and morphology. Furthermore, the oxidative stability and bioaccessibility of FS microparticles were investigated by simulating in vitro digestion. The findings indicated that the encapsulation technique effectively retained FS, resulting in microparticles physically stable at room temperature with typical morphology. The encapsulation efficiency revealed that lower concentrations of FS led to reduced superficial iron content. However, the oxidative stability demonstrated that the presence of iron in the microparticles accelerated the lipid oxidation process. The in vitro digestion test demonstrated that the microparticles with lower iron content exhibited a higher percentage of bioaccessibility, even when compared to non-encapsulated FS. Additionally, the coating material successfully released FS during the simulation of gastrointestinal digestion, resulting in a bioaccessibility of 7.98%.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05820-1.