Jc. Lopez et al., Mathematic predictive models for calculating copper, iron and zinc dialysability in infant formulas, EUR FOOD RE, 212(5), 2001, pp. 608-612
Differences in the dialysability of a mineral element from infant formulas
of the same type were detected in a previous study. As these may be due to
the effects that different levels of the components of the formulas could h
ave on dialysability, we attempted to establish mathematical models to pred
ict the dialysability of Cu, Fe and Zn from infant formulas according to th
eir ascorbic, citric, or selected amino acid contents. A simple linear regr
ession was applied between the ascorbic acid, citric acid and amino acid co
ntents and the Cu, Fe and Zn dialysability of 18 powdered infant formulas o
f different types. Significant correlations (P<0.05) were obtained between
the dialysability of Fe and ascorbic acid, citric acid, cysteine (Cys), gly
cine (Gly) and lysine (Lys) contents: between Cu and Cys, arginine (Arg) an
d tyrosine (Tyr) contents; and between Zn and Cys, Gly, Lys and Arg content
s. A multiple regression was applied in those cases in which a significant
correlation (P<0.05) was obtained. A joint effect of ascorbic and either ci
tric acid or Cys on Fe dialysability was observed. The effect of Arg on Zn
dialysability and the joint effect of Tyr and Cys on Cu dialysability must
also be mentioned.