Absorption of iron from unmodified maize and genetically altered, low-phytate maize fortified with ferrous sulfate or sodium iron EDTA

Background: Reducing the phytate content in grains by genetic manipulation is a novel approach to increasing nonheme-iron absorption from mixed diets. Fractional iron absorption from a genetically modified strain of low-phyta te maize (LPM) increased significantly, by 50%. Objective: We assessed iron absorption from porridges prepared from the sam e LPM (lpa-1-1 mutant) and unmodified wild-type maize (WTM), both of which were fortified with either ferrous sulfate or sodium iron EDTA. Design: Porridges providing 3.4 mg Fe were fortified with either ferrous su lfate or sodium iron EDTA to provide an additional 1 mg Fe/serving. In 14 n onanemic women, iron absorption was measured as the amount of radioiron inc orporated into red blood cells (extrinsic tag method) 12 d after consumptio n of the study diets. Results: No significant effect of phytate content on iron absorption was fo und when porridge was fortified with either sodium iron EDTA or ferrous sul fate. Fractional absorption of iron from WTM porridge fortified with sodium iron EDTA (5.73%) was 3.39 times greater than that from the same porridge fortified with ferrous sulfate (1.69%). Fractional absorption of iron from the sodium iron EDTA-fortified LPM porridge (5.40%) was 2.82 times greater than that from LPM porridge fortified with ferrous sulfate (1.91%) (P < 0.0 001 for both comparisons, repeated-measures analysis of variance). Thus, th e previously identified benefit of LPM was no longer detectable when maize porridge was fortified with additional iron. Conclusion: Iron was absorbed more efficiently when the fortificant was sod ium iron EDTA rather than ferrous sulfate, regardless of the type of maize.