Increased iron content of food due to stainless steel cookware

Iron contamination during in-field milling of millet and sorghum

Nutritionally, contaminant iron in foods may lead to overestimation of the satisfaction of iron requirement while iron deficiencies remain a widespread health problem. Iron contamination was measured in millet and sorghum grains after decortication and in-field milling using different equipments in Burkina Faso. Total iron content did not change significantly after decortication, probably due to a balance between losses resulting from the removal of iron-rich peripheral parts and contamination. Total iron contents increased significantly after mechanical milling irrespective of whether iron or corundum grindstones were used. Contamination was highly variable, ranging from 3 to 6 mg iron/100 g DM, and was mainly due to wear of the milling equipment. After in vitro digestion of traditional cereal dishes prepared with iron-contaminated or uncontaminated flours, the contaminant iron was found mainly in the insoluble fraction. Only in sorghum was a small proportion (4%) bioaccessible, showing that contaminant iron has poor nutritional interest.

Utensílios para alimentos e implicações nutricionais

Há grande variedade de materiais empregados na confecção de utensílios para os alimentos: barro, ferro, vidro, cerâmica, inox, pedra, alumínio e outros. Cerca de 43% de panelas vendidas atualmente nos Estados Unidos são de aço inoxidável. Outra parcela da população utiliza utensílios de alumínio. Este artigo visa especular a contribuição nutricional de utensílios usados na preparação de alimentos e feitos de três diferentes materiais (alumínio, ferro e aço inoxidável), através de revisão de literatura científica.