RESUMO
Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) dialyzability was compared in 7 commercial ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (BC). Four of them were fortified with elemental Fe and ZnO. Fe and Zn dialyzability of 3 different types of BC fortified with ZnO and FeNa2EDTA or FeSO4 was also performed in our laboratory. An in vitro methodology that measures the percentage of mineral dialyzability (D percent) with controlled pH was used. The DFe percent values obtained for the commercially fortified BC ranged between 0.4 to 15.0 percent without milk and between 1.0 to 5.6 percent when milk was added to the cereals. In the case of Zn, the values ranged from 3.3 to 16.1 without milk and between 3.3 and 30.8 when milk was added. Almost every BC that was experimentally fortified in our laboratory presented a higher DFe percent (19.5 to 28.6 percent) and DZn percent (12.4 to 29.2) when fortified with FeNa2EDTA (with or without milk). The results obtained suggest that FeNa2EDTA is a viable alternative for the fortification of BC.
Se comparó la dializabilidad de Fe y Zn en 7 cereales para desayuno comercialmente fortificados o no, con Fe elemental y ZnO y se comparó la dializabilidad de Fe y Zn en tres tipos diferentes de cereales experimentalmente fortificados con ZnO y FeNa2EDTA o FeSO4 en el laboratorio. Se utilizó una metodología in vitro que mide el porcentaje de dializabilidad (D por ciento) del mineral en condiciones controladas de pH. Los cereales comercialmente fortificados presentaron valores de DFe por ciento entre 0,4 y 15,0 y entre 1,0 y 5,6; sin y con leche. Para DZn por ciento los valores fueron entre 3,3 y 16,1 y entre 3,3 y 30,8, sin y con leche. Casi todos los cereales fortificados en el laboratorio presentaron mayor DFe por ciento (entre 19,5 y 28,6) y DZn por ciento (entre 12,4 y 29,2) cuando fueron fortificados con FeNa2EDTA (con y sin leche). Los resultados obtenidos muestran al FeNa2EDTA como una alternativa viable para la fortificación de cereales para desayuno.