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

Fe absorption was measured in adult human subjects consuming different cere al foods fortified with radiolabelled FeSO4, ferrous fumarate or NaFeEDTA, or with radiolabelled FeSO4 or ferric pyrophosphate in combination with dif ferent concentrations of Na(2)EDTA. Mean Fe absorption from wheat, wheat-so yabean and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) infant cereals fortified with FeSO4 or ferrous fumarate ranged from 0.6 to 2.2%. For each infant cereal, mean F e absorption from ferrous fumarate was similar to that from FeSO4 (absorpti on ratio 0.91-1.28). Mean Fe absorption from FeSO4-fortified bread rolls wa s 1.0% when made from high-extraction wheat flour and 5.7% when made from l ow-extraction wheat flour. Fe absorption from infant cereals and bread roll s fortified with NaFeEDTA was 1.9-3.9 times greater than when the same prod uct was fortified with FeSO4. Both high phytate content and consumption of tea decreased Fe absorption from the NaFeEDTA-fortified rolls. When Na(2)ED TA up to a 1:1 molar ratio (EDTA:Fe) was added to FeSO4-fortified wheat cer eal and wheat-soyabean cereal mean Fe absorption from the wheat cereal incr eased from 1.0% to a maximum of 5.7% at a molar ratio of 0.67:1, and from t he wheat-soyabean cereal from 0.7% to a maximum of 2.9% at a molar ratio of 1:1. Adding Na(2)EDTA to ferric pyrophosphate-fortified wheat cereal did n ot significantly increase absorption (P > 0.05). We conclude that Fe absorp tion is higher from cereal foods fortified with NaFeEDTA than when fortifie d with FeSO4 or ferrous fumarate, and that Na(2)EDTA can be added to cereal foods to enhance absorption of soluble Fe-fortification compounds such as FeSO4.