Bioavailability to rats of iron from fortified grain amaranth flour

In this study, fortified and unfortified grain amaranth seed flour and FeSO₄ fortified casein diet as control were evaluated for their iron bioavailability. NaFeEDTA, ferrous fumarate, and FeSO₄-fortified grain amaranth were fed to Sprague Dawley weanling male rats. Iron intake, Hb Fe gain, Fe availability and binding capacity, serum iron, non-haem liver iron and relative biological value (RBV) were determined and values compared with FeSO₄-fortified casein control; all were improved greatly by fortification.
Relative biological values (RBV) were 0.40, 1.55, 1.75, 1.67 and 1.00 for animals receiving unfortified amaranth diet, those fed diet fortified with NaFeEDTA, ferrous fumarate, FeSO₄ and casein fortified with FeSO₄ respectively. RBV of the unfortified cereal was 40% of control suggesting perhaps low iron absorption from the amaranth cereal.
Based on the results of this study, amaranth cereal is ideal as a food vehicle for iron fortification. The iron fortificant of choice is ferrous fumarate.