Iron Tech.

One-quarter of the world’s population is diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. Health consequences of anomia are: an increased risk of maternal mortality and child mortality, decreased work performance and endurance, reduced cognitive performance, and impaired iodine and vitamin A metabolism. Fortification of food is an efficacious and cost-effective solution to control micronutrient malnutrition at global level. However, mineral fortification, and iron fortification in particular, is notoriously difficult. The difficulties of iron fortification arise from the reactivity of the iron ion. In food and dishes that contain plant material, the interaction between iron and phytochemicals can compromise product color and bioavailability of iron. Because of their widespread consumption across the world, low moisture savory concentrates (i.e. powders or concentrated oil-water based products that are added during cooking to enhance the nutritional value and taste of dishes) are a highly interesting carrier for iron fortification. The challenge of controlling iron reactivity and bioavailability is complex in savory concentrates. During storage, these savory products can take up moisture, which results in the formation of local pools of water that lead to partial dissolution of iron salts and the surrounding water-soluble ingredients. As a result of these local pools, some specific areas have a high concentration of iron, causing local discoloration due to iron-induced chemical conversions, rendering the product unacceptable. Interaction of iron with phytochemicals eventually leads to discoloration of the entire dish, alteration of taste, and iron bioavailability. To develop novel technologies, while assuring product quality, it is essential to understand the interactions between iron and phytochemicals, during storage, cooking and ingestion. The challenge lies in the complex chemistry of iron and its soluble and insoluble salts in combination with the large variety of potentially reactive phytochemicals that can be either water-soluble or water-insoluble. In this project, the interaction between phytochemicals that are commonly present in savory concentrates with iron from sources that are currently used as fortificants (e.g. iron pyrophosphate and iron phosphate) is investigated. First, the influence of pH, temperature and ionic strength on the reaction mechanism between model phenolic compounds and iron (FePP, FePO4, FeCl3) is investigated. Additionally, possible interactions of these iron sources with the basic constituents present in savory concentrates are studied. Novel analytical techniques will be set up to be able to identify the water-insoluble iron-phytochemical complexes that are created. During this project, a clear understanding is established of the interaction between a large set of phytochemicals and iron in the conditions that are present during storage, meal preparation and digestion of savory concentrates. Eventually, the project is aiming to design a predictive model to optimize the stability of iron-fortified savory concentrates and dishes comprising phytochemical sources. The results will be relevant to create value-added ingredients to lower the global prevalence of iron deficiency anemia.