NEW PROCEDURE TO FORTIFY FLUID MILK AND DERIVATIVES WITH IRON - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY IN MICE

It is known that the fortification of milk and its derivatives with ir on has been recognized as a worldwide necessity, since the deficiency of this element produces different metabolic disorders. With this purp ose, we have studied the iron absorption in mice after the administrat ion of fluid milk and yogurt with FeSO4 stabilized by microencapsulati on with soy lecithin (SFE-171) or with FeSO4, both labeled with Fe-59, which was used in the same experimental conditions for comparative pu rposes. The absorption of iron is influenced by the presence of some a dditives which usually are ingested together with milk, such as cacao, coffee, tea, ''Argentine green herbs tea or mate'' or cereals. The ex perimental results demonstrate that the iron absorption from SFE-171 i s (12.3+/-2.9)%, whereas that from FeSO4 is (7.7+/-2.7)%, this differe nce is highly significant at p<0.01. In all the cases, groups of 25 mi ce each were used to increase the statistical robustness of the experi mental results. On the other hand, it could be demonstrated that the p resence of 10% w/v cacao (Nesquik(TM)) increases the iron absorption i n both cases, whereas 1% w/v cacao (Nesquik(TM)) and mate has no influ ence on the iron absorption if SFE-171 is used. Cereals (Nestum(TM) 3 cereals), yogurt and other additives like tea and coffee, for differen t reasons, decrease the absorption of this element.