Effect of fortified flour in increasing Zn and Fe concentration in the serum of personnel at the Moghadam Mersad Military Station

ABSTRACT

Zinc and iron content of agricultural soils as well as wheat grain and bread are lower than standard levels. This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of flour fortification on the serum zinc and iron level of the bread consumers. A study on the effect of fortification and improvement of the quality of bread on the health of consumer subjects was carried out on the total personnel [17 battalions at 3 bases] of Moghadam Mersad Military Station in the 3 provinces of Kerman, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Khorasan. After 4 months from the commencement of the study, blood samples were collected from the subjects who had spent 4 months at the Baghin and Ravar Aboozar study sites. Fortification of the wheat flour was carried out at the Baghin Martyrs Station, by adding, 80 mg Zn; 50 mg Fe; 10 mg vitamin B[1]; 2.5 mg Vitamin B[2]; and 5 mg vitamin B[6] per kg of flour. Likewise substituting yeast for baking powder as well as allowing for fermentation [30, 60 and 150 mimutes] in relation to the quality of bread was evaluated. None of the persons examined showed concentrations of Zn or Fe above normal limits in their serums. In places where bread was not fortified, the average level of Zn in the blood serum of individuals was measured to be 72 microg/deciliters; whereas, the serum Zn of the test subjects consuming fortified bread for a three-month period averaged 89 microg/deciliters [P<0.01]. While the number of people using stomach-problem-related-medicines at the Beghin Martyrs Station during a 4-month period before the experiment was figured to be 1615, it was reduced to 1375 cases after the test; or a 15% decrease during a 4-month period. The results showed that there was a significant relation between the use of high quality bread and the increase in the amount of Zn and Fe in blood serum. As a result, the incidence of stomach related problems was reduced due to replacing low quality bread with fortified bread in a 4-month period and eventually the use of drugs for stomach ailments and colds decreased in the study subjects and the slogan that prevention is worth more than the cure was realized in this one respect