SODIUM IRON EDTA [NAFE(III)EDTA] AS A FOOD FORTIFICANT DOES NOT INFLUENCE ABSORPTION AND URINARY-EXCRETION OF MANGANESE IN HEALTHY-ADULTS

NaFe(III)EDTA is a promising iron (Fe) compound for food fortification programs because of its high Fe bioavailability from meals containing dietary inhibitors of Fe absorption such as phytic acid. However, thi s Fe compound is not currently used in any large-scale fortification p rogram because of concern over its possible negative influence on the metabolism of other essential minerals or its possible influence on th e absorption of potentially toxic elements, such as manganese (Mn). In this study, Mn absorption and urinary excretion were studied in adult s after intake of an Fe-fortified weaning cereal labeled with Mn-54. I n a crossover design, the fortification of the weaning cereal with Fe as NaFeEDTA was compared with ferrous sulfate. Manganese absorption wa s measured by extrapolation from whole-body retention data 10-30 d aft er intake, and urinary excretion of Mn-54 was measured over 7 d. No si gnificant differences in Mn-54 absorption or urinary excretion were fo und; 1.1 +/- 0.15 and 0.91 +/- 0.35% of the ingested dose was absorbed from the cereal fortified with NaFe(III)EDTA and FeSO4, respectively. Urinary excretion of Mn-54 was very low; the total radioactivity in u rine represented 1.1 +/- 0.55% of the absorbed dose with NaFe(III)EDTA and 0.72 +/- 0.53% of the absorbed dose with FeSO4. Until now, Fe-for tification programs have met with only limited success. The introducti on of NaFeEDTA as a food fortificant could be a useful tool to provide bioavailable Fe to vulnerable groups in the population and thus aid i n combating Fe deficiency.