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Author(s): M Brnic [sup.1] , R F Hurrell [sup.1] , L T Songré-Ouattara [sup.2] , B Diawara [sup.2] , A Kalmogho-Zan [sup.3] , C Tapsoba [sup.3] , C Zeder [sup.1] [...], Background/Objectives: Fortifying cereal staples with zinc is a strategy for increasing zinc intake in young children in developing countries. However, phytic acid (PA) naturally present in cereals strongly decreases zinc absorption. A stable-isotope zinc absorption study was conducted in young children to investigate the ability of the PA-degrading enzyme phytase to improve zinc absorption, when added to a cereal porridge immediately before consumption. Subjects/Methods: Fractional absorption of zinc (FAZ) was estimated in 35 young healthy Burkinabe children using the double-isotopic tracer ratio method with .sup.67Zn as oral tracer and .sup.70Zn as intravenous tracer, in a crossover design. The test meals were: (a) a millet-based porridge containing 1.4 mg total zinc (native plus 1 mg added as ZnSO.sub.4) with a PA:Zn molar ratio of 7.7; (b) the same porridge with the enzyme phytase (20.5 phytase units (FTU)) added immediately before consumption. The exchangeable zinc pool (EZP) was determined as a potential measure of long-term zinc intake in 20 of the 35 children and compared with FAZ. Results: Mean FAZ increased from 9.5[plus or minus]3.4 to 16.0[plus or minus]5.1% (P Conclusions: Adding phytase immediately prior to consumption of a zinc-fortified cereal-based complementary food can improve zinc absorption in young children.