Bioavailability of heme iron in biscuit filling using piglets as an animal model for humans.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the bioavailability of heme iron added to biscuit filling. It comprised two stages: first, the development of the heme iron enriched biscuit filling; second, the evaluation of the bioavailability of the mineral in fattening piglets. Two groups were selected randomly and fed: a) Low iron feed and biscuits with heme iron supplemented filling; b) Normal feed (with ferrous sulphate). Weight and blood parameters were measured every fifteen days. Averages were compared after duplicate analyses. The filling had a creamy appearance, chocolate taste and smell, appropriate spreadability, heme iron content of 2.6 mg per gram and a shelf-life of a month. The heme iron supplemented pigs registered a greater (P<0.05) weight gain (27.8% more than the control group). Mortality in the heme iron group was 10%, compared to 50% in the control group. The amount of iron measured in the different compartment was greater in the heme group (3315 mg) than in the control group (2792 mg). However, the amount of iron consumed in the latter was greater. We show that an acceptable product with high heme iron content can be formulated, suitable for use as biscuit filling. The heme iron supplement produced better weight increase and lesser mortality in fattening pigs. The bioavailability of heme iron was 23% greater (P<0.05) compared to ferrous sulphate.

Biodisponibilidad de lactato ferroso adicionado a caramelos de goma / Bioavailability of ferrous lactate added to gum caramels

Fundamentos: El enriquecimiento de alimentos consulfato ferroso es la alternativa más usada para combatirla deficiencia de hierro, pero tecnológicamente es difícilde manejar, por lo que se propone en su lugar ellactato ferroso que imprime menos modificaciones.Objetivo: Evaluar la biodisponibilidad del lactato ferrosoadicionado a caramelos de goma, en cerdos en crecimiento.Métodos: La biodisponibilidad del hierro se evaluó enlechonas. Aleatoriamente se formaron 2 grupos que recibieron:alimento bajo en hierro, mas los caramelos adicionadoscon lactato ferroso y alimento normal.Quincenalmente se midieron peso y parámetroshematológicos. Se realizó análisis pareado y comparaciónde medias.Resultados: El producto tuvo características organolépticasaceptables, contenido de hierro de 2,4 mg porgramo. Las lechonas suplementadas con lactato ferrosopresentaron mayor ganancia de peso (15,7% más). Lamortalidad en el grupo de lactato fue del 20% y de 50%en el grupo control. El hierro detectado, fue mayor en elgrupo de lactato (2.987 mg) que en el control (2.792mg); en cambio, la cantidad de hierro consumido fuemayor en este último.Conclusiones: La suplementación con lactato ferrosodemostró ser mejor en el incremento de peso y en lamenor mortalidad de lechonas. La biodisponibilidad dellactato ferroso fue superior en un 30% a la del sulfatoferroso

Background: The enrichment of food with ferrous sulfateis the most frequently use alternative to combat irondeficiency, but it is technologically difficult to managewhich is why we propose ferrous lactate which providesthe benefit of fewer modifications.Objective: To evaluate the bioavailability of ferrous lactateadded to gum caramels to female growing pigs.Methods: The bioavailability of the iron was evaluated inpiglets. At random 2 groups were formed which received:Feed low in iron, plus caramels added with ferrous lactateand normal feed. Every 15 days were weight andhematological parameters were measured. Paired analysiswere made and comparison of measurements.Results: The product had acceptable characters, quantityof iron of 2,4 mg per gram. The female pigs supplementedwith ferrous lactate showed more aid on weight (15,7%more). The mortality in the group of lactate was 20% and50% in the control group. The iron detected, was higherin the group of lactate (2 987 mg) than in the controlgroup (2 792 mg); whereas, the quantity of iron consumedwas higher in the last group.Conclusions: The supplement with ferrous lactate provedto be the best in increasing weight and reduced the mortalityof female pigs. The bioavailability of ferrous lactate wassuperior by 30% compared with ferrous sulfate