Sodium iron EDTA [NaFe(III)EDTA] as a food fortificant does not influence absorption and urinary excretion of manganese in healthy adults

Effects of various Fe compounds on the bioavailability of Pb contained in orally ingested soils in mice: Mechanistic insights and health implications

Reducing lead (Pb) exposure via oral ingestion of contaminated soils is highly relevant for child health. Elevating dietary micronutrient iron (Fe) intake can reduce Pb oral bioavailability while being beneficial for child nutritional health. However, the practical performance of various Fe compounds was not assessed. Here, based on mouse bioassays, ten Fe compounds applied to diets (100-800 mg Fe kg^-1) reduced Pb oral relative bioavailability (RBA) in two soils variedly depending on Fe forms. EDTA-FeNa was most efficient, which reduced Pb-RBA in a soil from 79.5 ± 14.7 % to 23.1 ± 2.72 % (71 % lower) at 100 mg Fe kg^-1 in diet, more effective than other 9 compounds at equivalent or higher doses (3.6-68 % lower). When EDTA-FeNa, ferrous gluconate, ferric citrate, and ferrous bisglycinate were supplemented, Fe-Pb co-precipitation was not observed in the intestinal tract. EDTA-FeNa, ferrous gluconate, ferric citrate, and ferrous sulfate suppressed duodenal divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1)mRNA relative expression similarly (27-68 % lower). In comparison, among ten compounds, EDTA-FeNa elevated Fe concentrations in mouse liver, kidney, and blood (1.50-2.69-fold higher) most efficiently, suggesting the most efficient Fe absorption that competed with Pb. In addition, EDTA was unique from other organic ligands, ingestion of which caused 12.0-fold higher Pb urinary excretion, decreasing Pb concentrations in mouse liver, kidney, and blood by 68-88 %. The two processes (Fe-Pb absorption competition and Pb urinary excretion with EDTA) interacted synergistically, leading to the lowest Pb absorption with EDTA-FeNa. The results provide evidence of a better inhibition of Pb absorption by EDTA-FeNa, highlighting that EDTA-FeNa may be the most appropriate supplement for intervention on human Pb exposure. Future researches are needed to assess the effectiveness of EDTA-FeNa for intervention on human Pb exposure.

Iron-Enriched Fish Powder Improved Haemoglobin Levels in Adolescent Girls of West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India

This study was carried out to assess the efficacy of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA) salt-enriched fish powder in addressing iron deficiency in adolescent anaemic girls. This was a 60-day randomised double-blinded, controlled intervention trial involving 123 girls age ranging from 10 to 19 years in three villages of West Jaintia Hills District of State of Meghalaya in India using soup made out of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA)-enriched fish powder (250 mg/100 g). The influence of the iron-enriched powder on blood haemoglobin levels and serum iron was determined. The research also analysed the food consumed by the study subjects during the study period and it was found that there were no significant differences between the iron-enriched and control groups. The results indicated that the girls predominantly consumed cereals with little fruits, vegetables and meat. On an average, 100 ml of soup prepared out of 10 g of fish powder per day was consumed that theoretically provided about 25 mg of iron each day. Following intervention, all the participants in the group that consumed soup made out of NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder had significantly higher haemoglobin levels and serum iron and a lower prevalence of anaemia than the control group. The effects of NaFeEDTA salt-enriched fish powder were statistically significant and it can be inferred that NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder was highly effective in controlling iron deficiency and reducing the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among the adolescent girls.

Bioavailability Assessment of Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium, and Zinc from Selenium-Enriched Lettuce

Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Selenium (Se), and Zn bioavailability from selenate- and selenite-enriched lettuce plants was studied by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by an assay with Caco-2 cells. The plants were cultivated in the absence and presence of two concentrations (25 and 40 µmol/L of Se). After 28 days of cultivation, the plants were harvested, dried, and evaluated regarding the total concentration, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability of the analytes. The results showed that biofortification with selenate leads to higher Se absorption by the plant than biofortification with selenite. For the other nutrients, Mo showed high accumulation in the plants of selenate assays, and the presence of any Se species led to a reduction of the plant uptake of Cu and Fe. The accumulation of Zn and Mn was not strongly influenced by the presence of any Se species. The bioaccessibility values were approximately 71%, 10%, 52%, 84%, 71%, and 86% for Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, and Zn, respectively, and the contribution of the biofortified lettuce to the ingestion of these minerals is very small (except for Se and Mo). Due to the low concentrations of elements from digested plants, it was not possible to estimate the bioavailability for some elements, and for Mo and Zn, the values are below 6.9% and 3.4% of the total concentration, respectively. For Se, the bioavailability was greater for selenite-enriched than selenate-enriched plants (22% and 6.0%, respectively), because selenite is biotransformed by the plant to organic forms that are better assimilated by the cells.

Photoelectron spectroscopic and computational studies of [EDTA·M(iii)]− complexes (M = H3, Al, Sc, V–Co)

Photoelectron spectroscopic and computational studies of [EDTA·M(iii)]⁻ complexes reveal their redox chemistry and specific metal bindings.

Iron Fortification of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) to Address Iron Deficiency

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a major human health concern in areas of the world in which diets are often Fe deficient. In the current study, we aimed to identify appropriate methods and optimal dosage for Fe fortification of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) dal with FeSO₄·7H₂O (ferrous sulphate hepta-hydrate), NaFeEDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid iron (III) sodium salt) and FeSO₄·H₂O (ferrous sulphate mono-hydrate). We used a colorimetric method to determine the appearance of the dal fortified with fortificants at different Fe concentrations and under different storage conditions. Relative Fe bioavailability was assessed using an in vitro cell culture bioassay. We found that NaFeEDTA was the most suitable fortificant for red lentil dal, and at 1600 ppm, NaFeEDTA provides 13–14 mg of additional Fe per 100 g of dal. Lentil dal sprayed with fortificant solutions, followed by shaking and drying at 75 °C, performed best with respect to drying time and color change. Total Fe and phytic acid concentrations differed significantly between cooked unfortified and fortified lentil, ranging from 68.7 to 238.5 ppm and 7.2 to 8.0 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The relative Fe bioavailability of cooked fortified lentil was increased by 32.2–36.6% compared to unfortified cooked lentil. We conclude that fortification of lentil dal is effective and could provide significant health benefits to dal-consuming populations vulnerable to Fe deficiency.

Development of fortified biscuit using NaFeEDTA

BACKGROUND

Sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acetate (NaFeEDTA) is a promising iron fortificant for populations consuming high-phytate diets. It produces fewer organoleptic effects than other fortificants do, especially when the matrix of the food vehicle contains fat, and has a bioavailability two to four times higher than that of ferrous sulfate. This study investigated the effects of varying levels of NaFeEDTA (576-1152 mg kg(-1)) on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Petit Beurre biscuits.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in pH, ash, moisture and breaking strength values among all formulae. The iron content (7.2-14.4 mg per 100 g) of the biscuits increased with increasing fortificant level. During a 60 day storage period the peroxide value increased in both fortified and non-fortified formulae, especially after 28 days. The addition of NaFeEDTA had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the colour, texture and flavour of fortified biscuits.

CONCLUSION

Based on the range proposed for the use of NaFeEDTA as a fortification agent (10 mg iron and 67 mg EDTA per person per day), the results of this study reveal that 720 mg kg(-1) NaFeEDTA (9 mg iron per 100 g) is the optimum level for iron fortification in Petit Beurre biscuits.

Vibrational spectra of two Fe(III)/EDTA complexes useful for iron supplementation

The infrared and Raman spectra of Na[FeEDTA(H(2)O)]x2H(2)O and Na(4)[(FeEDTA)(2)O]x3H(2)O (EDTA=tetra anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), two complexes proposed as adequate for iron supplementation, were recorded and analyzed in relation to its structural peculiarities. Some comparisons between the recorded spectra are also presented, and the characteristics of the carboxylate motions as well as those of the metal-to-ligand vibrations are discussed in detail.

An evaluation of EDTA compounds for iron fortification of cereal-based foods

Fe absorption was measured in adult human subjects consuming different cereal foods fortified with radiolabelled FeSO4, ferrous fumarate or NaFeEDTA, or with radiolabelled FeSO4or ferric pyrophosphate in combination with different concentrations of Na2EDTA. Mean Fe absorption from wheat, wheat–soyabean and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) infant cereals fortified with FeSO4or ferrous fumarate ranged from 0·6 to 2·2 %. For each infant cereal, mean Fe absorption from ferrous fumarate was similar to that from FeSO4(absorption ratio 0·91–1·28). Mean Fe absorption from FeSO4-fortified bread rolls was 1·0 % when made from high-extraction wheat flour and 5·7 % when made from low-extraction wheat flour. Fe absorption from infant cereals and bread rolls fortified with NaFeEDTA was 1·9–3·9 times greater than when the same product was fortified with FeSO4. Both high phytate content and consumption of tea decreased Fe absorption from the NaFeEDTA-fortified rolls. When Na2EDTA up to a 1:1 molar ratio (EDTA:Fe) was added to FeSO4-fortified wheat cereal and wheat–soyabean cereal mean Fe absorption from the wheat cereal increased from 1·0 % to a maximum of 5·7 % at a molar ratio of 0·67:1, and from the wheat–soyabean cereal from 0·7 % to a maximum of 2·9 % at a molar ratio of 1:1. Adding Na2EDTA to ferric pyrophosphate-fortified wheat cereal did not significantly increase absorption (P>0·05). We conclude that Fe absorption is higher from cereal foods fortified with NaFeEDTA than when fortified with FeSO4or ferrous fumarate, and that Na2EDTA can be added to cereal foods to enhance absorption of soluble Fe-fortification compounds such as FeSO4.

Iron absorption from NaFeEDTA is downregulated in iron-loaded rats

NaFeEDTA is a promising fortificant for use in plant foods, because it is less susceptible to iron absorption inhibitors and has fewer undesirable impacts on sensory quality than ferrous sulfate. However, the hypothesis that iron absorption from NaFeEDTA is effectively downregulated in iron-overload conditions has not been thoroughly tested. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare downregulation of iron absorption from ferrous sulfate and NaFeEDTA in intact iron-loaded rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing either ferrous sulfate (35 mg Fe per 1 kg diet) or elemental iron (30,000 mg Fe per 1 kg diet) for 29 d to achieve basal or iron-loaded status. While body weights and hemoglobin concentrations were the same for basal and iron-loaded rats, nonheme-iron concentrations in liver, spleen, and kidney were all significantly higher in iron-loaded rats, indicating elevated iron status. Percentage of iron absorption from (59)Fe-labeled ferrous sulfate and NaFeEDTA, determined from whole-body retention of (59)Fe activity, was 64.7 and 49.4% in basal rats but decreased to 12.8 and 10.2% in iron-loaded rats, respectively. The reductions in percentage of iron absorption from both iron sources in rats as a result of iron loading were comparable (about -80% for both iron sources). Our results suggest that iron absorption from NaFeEDTA and ferrous sulfate is downregulated to a similar extent in iron-loaded rats. Hence, NaFeEDTA is no more likely than ferrous sulfate to exacerbate iron overload in subjects with adequate body iron stores.

Iron bioavailability in corn-masa tortillas is improved by the addition of disodium EDTA

Corn-masa flour flat bread tortillas are the main staple of Mexican and Central American populations. Due to high concentrations of inhibitors of iron absorption, the bioavailability from this matrix is unknown. We wanted to determine the most suitable fortificant that would efficaciously improve iron bioavailability. In tortillas prepared with commercial precooked, lime-treated, corn-masa flour, we examined the in vitro solubility of the following forms of iron: native iron with and without Na2EDTA, elemental reduced iron plus Na2EDTA, ferrous fumarate with and without Na2EDTA, bisglycine iron, ferrous sulfate and NaFeEDTA. We also examined the in vivo bioavailability in humans with double radioiron erythrocyte incorporation of ferrous fumarate with and without Na2EDTA, bisglycine iron, NaFeEDTA and native iron plus Na2EDTA, beans and rice. In vitro, solubility ranged from 1% in iron forms without Na2EDTA to 19.4% for NaFeEDTA. Forms of iron with Na2EDTA had intermediate values. In vivo radioiron studies showed that iron forms without Na2EDTA also had low bioavailability (< or =1%). NaFeEDTA had the highest bioavailability (5.3%). The bioavailability of all iron forms improved significantly when tested with Na2EDTA (<0.05). Adding Na2EDTA to ferrous fumarate increased bioavailability from 0.87% to 2.9% (P < 0.001). We conclude that NaFeEDTA is the form of iron best absorbed, but alternatively, ferrous fumarate plus Na2EDTA comprises a feasible option as a fortificant.

Safety assessment of iron EDTA [sodium iron (Fe(3+)) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid]: summary of toxicological, fortification and exposure data

Iron EDTA [sodium iron (Fe(3+)) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)], shown to have a significant beneficial effect on iron status by increasing iron bioavailability in human diets, has been proposed for use as a fortificant in certain grain-based products including breakfast cereals and cereal bars. This paper presents an assessment of the safety of iron EDTA for its intended uses in these products. Iron EDTA, like other EDTA-metal complexes, dissociates in the gastrointestinal tract to form iron, which is bioavailable, and an EDTA salt; absorption of the metal ion and EDTA are independent. Because of this dissociation, consideration of information on EDTA compounds other than iron EDTA is relevant to this safety assessment. EDTA compounds are poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and do not undergo significant metabolic conversion. They have a low degree of acute oral toxicity. EDTA compounds are not reproductive or developmental toxicants when fed with a nutrient-sufficient diet or minimal diets supplemented with zinc. In chronic toxicity studies, diets containing as much as 5% EDTA were without adverse effects. EDTA compounds were not carcinogenic in experimental animal bioassays and are not directly genotoxic. This lack of significant toxicity is consistent with a history of safe use of other EDTA compounds (CaNa(2)EDTA and Na(2)EDTA) approved by the FDA for use as direct food additives. An upper-bound estimated daily intake (EDI) of EDTA from iron EDTA (1.15mg/kg bw/day for the US population) is less than half the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for EDTA of 2. 5mg/kg bw/day established by JECFA. The data collected and published over the past 20 to 30 years demonstrate that iron EDTA is safe and effective for iron fortification of food products and meets the standard of "reasonable certainty of no harm". Based on the published record, iron EDTA may be regarded as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for the intended food uses and maximum use levels.