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Background Zinc biofortification of rice could sustainably improve zinc status in countries where zinc deficiency is common and rice is a staple, but its efficacy has not been tested. Fatty acid desaturases (FADS) are putative new zinc status biomarkers. Objectives Our objective was to test the efficacy of zinc-biofortified rice (BFR) in preschool-aged children with zinc deficiency. Our hypothesis was that consumption of BFR would increase plasma zinc concentration (PZC). Methods We conducted a 9-mo, double-masked intervention trial in 12–36-mo-old rural Bangladeshi children, most of whom were zinc-deficient (PZC 0.05). There was a time–treatment interaction for height-for-age z-scores (P < 0.001) favoring the BFR group. The morbidity longitudinal prevalence ratio was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.12) comparing the BFR and CR groups, due to more upper respiratory tract illness in the BFR group. Conclusions Consumption of BFR for 9 mo providing ∼1 mg of additional zinc daily to Bangladeshi children did not significantly affect PZC, prevalence of zinc deficiency, or FADS activity. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03079583., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 115 (3), ISSN:0002-9165, ISSN:1938-3207

There are no comprehensive food composition data on minerals and phytic acid (PA) contents of Iranian foods, which is an important prerequisite when assessing nutrient intake and nutritional status of the population. In this study, zinc (Zn) was analysed in major staples (rice, bread, and legumes; n = 111), main animal source foods (dairy and meat products; n = 107), and 9 local cooked dishes ( n = 38) consumed in a rural and a suburban population in central Iran. PA was additionally measured in the cereal and legume foods as well as the local dishes. Iron and calcium were also measured in selected raw and cooked samples of rice and legumes. The Zn concentration in cooked rice and bread were 0.88 ± 0.34 and 1.32 ± 0.16 mg/100 g of DW in the suburban area and 1.29 ± 0.45 and 1.77 ± 0.21 mg/100 g of DW in the rural area, respectively. The PA:Zn molar ratio of flat bread was 24 in the suburban and 22 in the rural area. Cooked rice and composite dishes had PA:Zn molar ratio between 4 and 13. The results indicated a low Zn absorption from the common flat breads but moderate absorption from the composite dishes. Food processing had a major influence on Zn concentrations in the final products.

A cross-sectional survey of 2819 adults aged 20 years and above was undertaken in 2002 in Jiangsu Province. Zinc intake was assessed using a consecutive 3-day 24-h dietary recall method. Insufficient and excess intake was determined according to the Chinese Dietary Recommended Intakes. Four distinct dietary patterns were identified namely “traditional”, “macho”, “sweet tooth”, and “healthy”. Intake of zinc from biofortified rice was simulated at an intermediate zinc concentration (2.7 mg/100 g) and a high zinc concentration (3.8 mg/100 g) in rice. Average total zinc intake was 12.0 ± 3.7 mg/day, and insufficiency of zinc intake was present in 15.4%. Simulated zinc intake from biofortified rice with intermediate and high zinc concentration decreased the prevalence of low zinc intake to 6.5% and 4.4%, respectively. The effect was most pronounced in the “traditional” pattern, with only 0.7% of insufficiency of zinc intake remaining in the highest quartile of the pattern. Zinc intake was inversely associated with the “sweet tooth” pattern. Zinc biofortifed rice improves dietary zinc intake and lowers risk for insufficient zinc intake, especially for subjects with a more “traditional” food pattern, but less for subjects with a “sweet tooth” food pattern., Nutrients, 4 (6), ISSN:2072-6643

Background: In many developing countries, children are at high risk for both goiter and anemia. In areas of subsistence farming in rural Africa, salt is one of the few regularly purchased food items and could be a good fortification vehicle for iodine and iron, provided that a stable yet bioavailable iron fortificant is used. Objective: We tested the efficacy of salt dual-fortified with iodine and micronized ferric pyrophosphate for reducing the prevalence of iodine and iron deficiencies in children. Design: In rural northern Morocco, we fortified local salt with 25 g I (as potassium iodate)/g salt and 2 mg Fe (as micronized ferric pyrophosphate; mean particle size 2.5 m)/g salt. After storage and acceptability trials, we compared the efficacy of the dualfortified salt (DFS) with that of iodized salt in a 10-mo, randomized, double-blind trial in iodine-deficient 6 –15-y-old children ( n 158) with a high prevalence of anemia. Results: After storage for 6 mo, there were no significant differences in iodine content or color lightness between the DFS and iodized salt. During the efficacy trial, the DFS provided 18 mg Fe/d; iron absorption was estimated to be2%. After 10 mo of treatment in the DFS group, mean hemoglobin increased by 16 g/L (P 0.01), iron status and body iron stores increased significantly ( P 0.01), and the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia decreased from 30% at baseline to 5% (P 0.001). In both groups, urinary iodine (P 0.001) and thyroid volume (P 0.01) improved significantly from baseline. Conclusion: A DFS containing iodine and micronized ferric pyrophosphate can be an effective fortification strategy in rural Africa. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:952–9.

The aim of this study was to estimate the zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) status of different age groups in rural (Rooran) and suburban (Khomeini Shahr) populations in central Iran, to relate the Zn status to Zn intake from animal and plant foods, and to examine the relationship between Zn and Fe status. Blood samples from 341 subjects including preschool children (27), schoolchildren (157), women (91), and men (66) were analyzed for serum zinc (SZn), serum ferritin (SF), total C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin. Daily Zn and phytic acid (PA) intakes from major food groups were estimated using a 3-day weighed food record. The overall prevalence of Zn deficiency based on low SZn was 5.9 % in Rooran and 7.2 % in Khomeini Shahr. Anemia was higher in the village than in the suburb (33.5 % vs. 22.7 %; p = 0.04) and almost half of the anemia in Khomeini Shahr and 36 % in Rooran was associated with iron deficiency (ID) based on low SF. The PA:Zn molar ratio in the diet was 10 - 13, indicating a diet of moderate Zn bioavailability. About 18 % of the population consumed less Zn than their WHO Estimated Average Requirements. There was no association between Zn status and Fe status. The modest prevalence of Zn deficiency in the study populations can be explained by a relatively high Zn intake from animal source foods. Anemia however is a serious public health problem affecting some 30 % of the subjects, with almost half due to ID. The lower Fe status than Zn status could be due to the frequent consumption of tea and dairy products.

British Journal of Nutrition, 97 (5), ISSN:0007-1145, ISSN:1475-2662

BACKGROUND In many developing countries, children are at high risk of goiter, vitamin A deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia. OBJECTIVE We aimed to develop a stable, efficacious salt fortified with iodine, iron, and vitamin A. DESIGN A novel spray-cooling technique was used with hydrogenated palm oil to package potassium iodate, micronized ferric pyrophosphate, and retinyl palmitate into microcapsules (mean particle size: 100 mum). We used the microcapsules to create triple-fortified salt (TFS) with 30 mug I, 2 mg Fe, and 60 mug vitamin A/g salt. After storage trials, we compared the efficacy of TFS with that of iodized salt in a 10-mo, randomized, double-blind trial in goitrous schoolchildren (n = 157) who had a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. RESULTS After storage for 6 mo, losses of iodine and vitamin A from the TFS were approximately 12-15%, and color was stable. In the TFS group, mean hemoglobin increased by 15 g/L at 10 mo (P < 0.01), iron status indexes and body iron stores improved significantly (P < 0.05), and mean serum retinol, retinol-binding protein, and the ratio of retinol-binding protein to prealbumin increased significantly (P < 0.01). At 10 mo, prevalences of vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency anemia were significantly lower in the TFS group than in the iodized salt group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Newly developed microcapsules containing iodine, iron, and vitamin A are highly stable when added to local African salt. TFS was efficacious in reducing the prevalence of iron, iodine, and vitamin A deficiencies in school-age children.