In-Vitro Bioavailability of Iron from Green Gram (Vigna radiata) Dhal Flour Fortified with Extrinsic Iron and its Absorption Promoter Ascorbic Acid

Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) is a global health problem, especially in the developing countries and in India it is also a formidable health challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) report already identified Iron Deficiency Anaemia as world's most serious health risk factor. The vulnerable groups are pre-school children, school going children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and partially lactating women. Fortification, as generally understood, refer to the process of addition of a nutrient to a food to improve the quality of nutrient to meet the recommended dietary allowance of the population to correctthe existing nutrient deficiency amongst them. Green Gram Dhal (Vigna radiata) was chosen as a vehicle for this study as it is the most acceptable pulse among all Indians irrespective of being vegetarian or non-vegetarian and it contains good quality of protein that helps in iron absorption, moreover pulse, considered to be the second staple food in India, has not yet being considered as a vehicle for iron or any kind of fortification. The in vitro bioavailability of iron in the green gram dhal flour fortified with extrinsic iron and ascorbic acid as iron absorption promoter was studied as compared to non fortified green gram dhal flour. It was found that green gram dhal flour fortified with both extrinsic iron and iron absorption promoter had the highest impact on enhancement of the absorption of both native and added iron, especially in acidic pH, however dhal flour fortified with extrinsic iron only had also the enhancing impact on iron absorption mainly in acidic pH. Thus it can be predicted that fortification of green gram dhal flour with extrinsic iron and iron absorption promoter increases the bioavailability of both native and added iron.