文摘
The bioavailability and interactive effects of calcium, iron and zinc fortified whole wheat flour chapattis on female Sprague鈥揇awley albino rats were determined. The whole wheat flour was fortified with CaCO3, FeSO4 and ZnSO4 at 1000, 40 and 20聽mg/kg, respectively and fed to 64 female Sprague鈥揇awley rats for 4聽weeks. Retention of Ca, Fe and Zn was determined in plasma, femur and liver tissues. Ca levels in plasma and liver did not alter significantly while the Ca retention in femur changed significantly with the change in fortificants. The calcium retention was higher in the femur of rats fed on the diet supplemented with Ca鈥?鈥塟n (221鈥壜扁€?3.61聽mg/g) than the rats fed on the diet supplemented with Ca鈥?鈥塅e (219鈥壜扁€?8.92聽mg/g). The iron in plasma, liver and femur ranged from 2.19鈥壜扁€?.11 to 2.77鈥壜扁€?.10聽渭g/ml, 203.5鈥壜扁€?3.24 to 251.5鈥壜扁€?7.19聽渭g/g and 43.5鈥壜扁€?.05 to 52鈥壜扁€?.07聽渭g/g while zinc content ranged from 1.31鈥壜扁€?.089 to 1.55鈥壜扁€?.114聽渭g/ml, 89.5鈥壜扁€?.41 to 132鈥壜扁€?.10聽渭g/g and 175鈥壜扁€?.29 to 191鈥壜扁€?0.85聽渭g/g, respectively. The minerals interacted with each other resulting in decrease of bioavailability among each other. The absorption was higher in the rats fed on fortified diet than those fed on unfortified chapatti diet. Hence, it is concluded that fortification of whole wheat flour is feasible to overcome the Ca, Fe and Zn malnutrition in the vulnerable groups.