Bioavailability to rats of iron from fortified grain amaranth

In this study, fortified and unfortified grain amaranth seed flour diets and a FeSO₄-fortified casein diet (used as a control) were evaluated for their iron (Fe) bioavailability. NaFeEDTA, ferrous fumarate, and FeSO₄-fortified grain amaranth were fed to growing Sprague-Dawley weaning male rats. Iron intake, hemoglobin iron (HbFe) gain, Fe availability, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), serum iron, non-haem liver iron and red bloodcell volume (RBV) were determined, and the values were compared with those of the FeSO₄-fortified casein diet control. Ferrous fumarate fortified diets gave consistently high values for all these parameters, compared with consistently low values for the amaranth diet without iron fortification.Relative biological values (RBVs) were 0.40, 1.55, 1.75, 1.67 and 1.00 for animals fed on an unfortified amaranth diet, and diets fortified with NaFeEDTA, ferrous fumarate, FeSO₄ and casein fortified with FeSO₄, respectively. Using FeSO₄-fortified casein as control, ferrous fumarate gave a superior RBVs (1.75 vs. 1.00). The RBVs, of the unfortified cereal diets were 40% that of the control, perhaps suggesting low iron absorption from the amaranth cereal. Based on the results of this study, amaranth cereal can be considered an ideal food vehicle for iron fortification. The iron fortification of choice is ferrous fumarate.     

In vitro bioavailability of iron from spinach (Spinacea oleracea) cultivated in soil fortified with graded levels of iron and zinc

A pot-culture experiment was conducted to assess the bioavailability of iron from spinach cultivated in soil fortified with graded levels of iron and zinc (FeSO₄ . 7H₂0 and ZnSO₄ . 7H₂0, respectively). Applications of varying levels of iron to soil increased the total iron and phosphorus contents and decreased the zinc content (P<0.05). The effect of applying varying levels of zinc was the opposite of on the minerals in spinach. The ascorbic acid content was remarkably reduced with varying levels of iron and zinc. Higher levels of zinc and lower levels of iron in the soil increased the bioavailability of iron from spinach (P<0.05). In conclusion, the interactions of 15 ppm zinc with 30 ppm iron significantly enhanced the bioavailability of iron, total iron and zinc contents.     

Determination of iron absorption by rat bioassay. Evaluation of methods of dosing59Fe on radioiron absorption from plant diets

We studied the potential of an animal model to predict nonheme iron absorption in humans and tested a feasible and easy technique of dosing⁵⁹Fe to evaluate bioavailability of dietary nonheme iron. Plant diets containing about 20 ppm or 75 ppm iron were the nonheme iron sources with ferrous sulfate (75 ppm) as a reference. Radioiron was administered by (a) gavaging in water, 1 h after a meal; (b) mixing with the meal; and (c) making a slurry with the meal and gavaging. No significant differences were found (P0.05) in⁵⁹Fe absorption among the three methods of administering radioiron. Absorption of⁵⁹Fe was similar to apparent iron absorption for all diets tested, whether the animals consumed the same diet as that of the test meal or a different diet. A high correlation (r=0.88) obtained between the apparent iron absorption and⁵⁹Fe iron absorption for different dosing techniques, indicates that extrinsic iron tag administered by any of these methods is valid to measure nonheme iron absorption. Apparent iron absorption values determined by rats fed 20 ppm or 75 ppm dietary iron from plant sources were similar to reported values for humans. It is concluded that the normal adult rat is an appropriate model to study iron bioavailability of human foods when iron status, maturity, iron intake relative to requirement, and method of measurement are similar to the human situation.     

武夷山五夫荷塘底泥重金属赋存特征及其生物有效性

研究武夷山市五夫镇白莲荷塘底泥中7种重金属(Hg、As、Cd、Pb、Cr、Cu和Zn)的全量和形态分布,运用风险评价编码(RAC)法及次生相与原生相分布比值(RSP)法评价元素生物有效性、判断元素的主要来源,并利用相关系数分析重金属形态受土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明：部分荷塘底泥样品的Hg、Cd全量超出NY/T5010—2016《无公害农产品 种植业产地环境条件》的标准限值,且均值分别为福建省土壤背景值的3.09、5.37倍,富集较为严重。其中,Hg的残渣态占总量的80.79%,RAC值和RSP值较小,生物有效性较低且以自然来源为主;Cd以离子交换态、碳酸盐态和残渣态三种形态为主,RAC值和RSP值最大,生物有效性最高且受人为污染最为严重;Pb和Cu以残渣态为优势形态,但RAC值和RSP值较大,一定程度受人为来源的影响;As、Cr和Zn 以残渣态为主,基本为自然来源。研究区荷塘底泥重金属形态分布在不同程度上受土壤基本理化指标(有机质和pH值)的影响。本研究可为合理地防治武夷山土壤重金属污染提供科学依据。     

Bio-availability of iron from spinach (Spanicia oleracea) cultivated in soil fortified with graded levels of iron

In vitro availability of iron along with ascorbic acid, oxalic acid and phosphorus content of two varieties of spinach (Pusa Jyoti and Allgreen) cultivated in soil with different levels of added iron was determined. Addition of graded levels of iron to soil markedly increased the total iron and phosphorus contents and significantly decreased the bio-availability of iron, ascorbic acid and oxalic acid contents of spinach. Ascorbic acid and oxalic acid contents markedly exerted a positive influence while phosphorus exerted a negative influence on the bio-availability of iron.     

不同产地黑豆黄酮提取物的抗氧化能二勾比较研究

目的研究山东、黑龙江、甘肃和河南产地黑豆的黄酮提取物抗氧化能力,为兑合理开发提供理论依据。方法以抗坏血酸（Vc）作为阳性对照,利用Fenton反应测定其对羟自由基（·OH）的清除能力。并用铁氰化钾还原法测定其总还原能力。结果各产地黑豆的黄酮提取物均具有抗氧化能力,并与其浓度呈正相关。还原能力的顺序为山东〉甘肃〉河南〉黑龙江。其中山东黑豆的黄酮提取物的还原能力与Vc持平,其他三个地区的还原能力较低。结论产地对黑豆中黄酮提取物的抗氧化还原能力的影响较大,山东产黑豆表现最好,作用可达到Vc的效果。     

Insights from in vitro exploration of factors influencing iron,zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereals

Developments in genetics, agronomics and processing has positioned staple cereals as important sources of iron, zinc and provitamin A (pVA) carotenoids for nutritionally vulnerable populations. Significant effort has been placed on understanding the bioavailability of these micronutrients from cereal foods, including the exploration of underlying mechanisms by which their bioavailability can be modified. While micronutrient bioavailability is preferably assessed in clinical trials, relevant in vitro digestion and intestinal cell culture models have been applied to study effects of genetic, agronomic, post-harvest and food processing on micronutrient bioavailability. This review (1) critically assesses the application of in vitro models in the exploration of mechanisms associated with iron, zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereal foods, and (2) identifies remaining gaps in order to frame future strategies to improve the nutritional impact of cereal foods.     

Mineral characteristics of leaves of plants from different phylogeny grown in various soil types in the temperate region

The objective of this research was to analyze selected minerals in leavesof plants, belonging to 166 species growing in alluvial, low pH, brownforest and serpentine soils. Mineral characteristics of the soils involved werealso determined.For the macronutrients, in trees grown in alluvial soil, N, P, Ca, and Mgconcentrations of leaves were higher in recently evolved plants than inplants with a longer period of evolution; K concentration remained constantregardless of evolution. In grasses grown in alluvial soil, it was difficult todetect the general tendency of mineral concentration. N, P, and Kconcentrations in alluvial soil were closely related to those in low pH andserpentine soils. Ca concentration in alluvial soil was lower than that in lowpH and serpentine soils. Mg concentration in alluvial soils was higher thanthat in low pH soils, while lower than that in serpentine soil. Therefore, N,P, and K accumulated according to the plant characteristics for theseelements, while Ca and Mg accumulation was strongly affected by the soilproperties.For the micronutrients, in trees, Fe and Mn remained constant regardlessof evolution; Zn concentration was lower in recently-evolved plants than inplants with a longer period of evolution. In grasses, Fe, Mn, and Znconcentrations in Caryophyllids were high. Except for Caryophyllids, Fe andCu concentrations remained constant, Mn concentration decreased withevolution, Zn concentration was higher in recently-evolved plants than inplants with a longer period of evolution.     

Susceptibility of Helicoverpa armigera from different host plants in northern China to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a serious pest of cotton and many other crops in northern China. To evaluate the contribution of alternative hosts as an effective refuge for transgenic cotton expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ac toxin, the susceptibility to this toxin was measured in progeny derived from field-collected H. armigera larvae and pupae from different hosts in the Xiajin’s region of the Shandong Province in northern China. During 2008-2010, progeny from a total of 258,56,184 and 160 single-pair crosses derived from wheat (first-generation), Bt cotton (second-generation), Bt cotton (third-generation), and corn (third-generation) were screened on Cry1Ac diets, respectively. Based on relative average development rates (RADR) of H. armigera larvae in these F₁ tests, the second and third-generation moths emerging from Bt cotton fields were more tolerant to the Bt toxin than the first and third-generation moths emerging from wheat and corn each year. These results suggest that there is significant variation in susceptibility to Bt toxins among H. armigera populations derived from different host crops. Alternate crops, such as corn, that maintain Bt susceptible populations of H. armigera could be used as refugia to minimize the evolution of resistance to Bt cotton.     

External K requirement of young plants of potato, sugar beet and wheat in flowing solution culture resulting from different internal requirements and uptake efficiency

Summary Potato, wheat and sugar beet were grown in a growth chamber in tanks with flowing solutions containing K-concentrations of 1.5, 5, 15, 50 and 200 μM to find reasons for different K contents of solution needed to reach 90% maximum dry matter accumulation (external K requirement). All species showed variation in dry matter accumulation with varying K levels. To reach 90% maximum dry matter accumulation potato needed 40 μM K, whereas wheat and sugar beet needed 6.4 and 4.4 μM K respectively. These differences in external K requirement could not be explained by differences in their internal K requirement since the internal requirement of potato (7.7% K) was about one and a half times of that of sugar beet (5.4%) but its external requirement was nine times of that of sugar beet. At low K supply potato plants showed a lower influx and a reduced root growth as compared with wheat and sugar beet.