ABSTRACT
Fortification of millet flours with iron might be beneficial in combating iron deficiency. In this investigation, two products prepared from finger millet and sorghum flours fortified with iron and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and stored for up to 60 days were evaluated for sensory quality attributes using quantitative descriptive analysis, and their texture was measured using a texture analyzer. Fortification did not cause any significant change in the hardness of dumpling or the shearing effect of the roti prepared from either of the millet flours. There was no significant effect of the fortificant on the texture and aroma of the products prepared from the fortified flours up to a period of 60 days. However, a discoloration was perceived in the dumplings prepared from the same flours. The overall quality of the roti prepared was acceptable to the sensory panelists. Finger millet and sorghum flours seem to be suitable as vehicles for fortification with iron.
Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/prevention & control , Consumer Behavior , Eleusine , Flour/analysis , Food, Fortified , Iron, Dietary/analysis , Iron/analysis , Color , Edible Grain , Food Handling/methods , Humans , Iron Deficiencies , Odorants , Sorghum , TasteABSTRACT
Deficiency of zinc is believed to be as widespread as that of iron, with equally serious consequences. Fortification of staple foods with this mineral is a cost-effective method that can be used to combat this deficiency. In the present study, flours of pearl millet and sorghum were evaluated as vehicles for fortification with zinc. Zinc stearate was used as the fortificant, and added at a level that provided 5mg Zn/100g flour. The metal chelator EDTA was used as a co-fortificant, the molar ratio of exogenous Zn:EDTA being 1:1. Bioaccessibility of zinc from the fortified flours, both raw and cooked, was determined by an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion procedure. The results of the study revealed that there were differences among these two flours with respect to the feasibility of fortification with zinc. Although fortified pearl millet flour provided a higher amount of bioaccessible zinc, this was attributable to the presence of EDTA, rather than to the fortified zinc. The benefit of fortification with zinc was more evident in sorghum flour, compared to that in pearl millet flour, the increase in bioaccessible zinc content being more than 1.5 times higher as a result of fortification. Fortified sorghum and pearl millet flours were stable during storage for a period of up to 60 days. Thus, millet flours seem to be satisfactory candidates for fortification with zinc, and can be exploited to address zinc deficiency.
Subject(s)
Flour , Food, Fortified , Pennisetum/chemistry , Sorghum/chemistry , Zinc/chemistry , Stearic Acids/administration & dosage , Stearic Acids/chemistry , Zinc/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Millets, being less expensive compared to cereals and the staple for the poorer sections of population, could be the choice for fortification with micronutrients such as zinc. In view of this, finger millet, widely grown and commonly consumed in southern India, was explored as a vehicle for fortification with zinc in this investigation. Finger millet flour fortified with either zinc oxide or zinc stearate so as to provide 50mg zinc per kg flour, was specifically examined for the bioaccessibility of the fortified mineral, as measured by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion procedure and storage stability. Addition of the zinc salts increased the bioaccessible zinc content by 1.5-3 times that of the unfortified flour. Inclusion of EDTA along with the fortified salt significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of zinc from the fortified flours, the increase being three-fold. Inclusion of citric acid along with the zinc salt and EDTA during fortification did not have any additional beneficial effect on zinc bioaccessiblity. Moisture and free fatty acid contents of the stored fortified flours indicated the keeping quality of the same, up to 60 days. Both zinc oxide and zinc stearate were equally effective as fortificants, when used in combination with EDTA as a co-fortificant. The preparation of either roti or dumpling from the fortified flours stored up to 60 days did not result in any significant compromise in the bioaccessible zinc content. Thus, the present study has revealed that finger millet flour can effectively be used as a vehicle for zinc fortification to derive additional amounts of bioaccessible zinc, with reasonably good storage stability, to combat zinc deficiency.
